Bootstrap User Interface (GUI)-Based System and Method for Regionalized Full-Scale Process Plant Displays

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods based on a graphical user interface (GUI) for regionalizing a full-scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device. A region determiner application receives a full-scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities. The region determiner application determines one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display that define corresponding view portions of the full-scale process plant display. The display regions are sent to the mobile user interface device for presentation by a mobile display navigation application. The GUI-based systems and methods may also automatically detect graphical process control loop display portions in the full-scale process plant display for presentation on the mobile user interface device. The GUI-based systems and methods may also reconstruct the full-scale process plant display at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on the mobile user interface device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods based on a guided user interface (GUI) for presenting full - scale process plant displays on a mobile user interface device. In particular, it relates to systems and methods for regionalizing full - scale process plant displays for presentation on a mobile user interface device; systems and methods for automatically detecting graphical process control loop display portions in a full - scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device; and systems and methods for reconstructing full - scale process plant displays at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on a mobile user interface device. Background Art

[0002] Distributed process control systems, such as those used in chemical, petroleum, or other processes, typically include one or more process controllers and input / output (I / O) devices that are communicatively coupled to at least one host or operator interface and one or more field devices via analog, digital, or combined analog / digital buses, or via wireless communication links or networks. Field devices can be, for example, valves, valve positioners, switches, and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure, level, and flow rate sensors) that are located within the process environment and typically perform physical or process control functions, such as opening or closing valves, or measuring process parameters to control one or more processes being performed within a process plant or system. Smart field devices, such as those compliant with well - known Fieldbus protocols, can also perform control calculations, alarm functions, and other control functions typically implemented within a controller. Process controllers are also typically located within the plant environment, receive signals indicative of process measurements made by sensors or field devices and / or other information related to the field devices, and execute controller applications that run different control modules, such as those that make process control decisions, generate control signals based on the received information, and coordinate with control modules or blocks implemented in field devices (such as wireless and Fieldbus field devices) to send control signals to the field devices via communication lines or links, thereby controlling the operation of at least a portion of the process plant or system.

[0003] Information from field devices and controllers is typically available via a data highway to one or more other hardware devices, such as operator interfaces, personal computers or computing devices, data historians, report generators, centralized databases or other centralized management computing devices, which are typically, but not always, located in a control room or other location remote from the harsher plant environment. Each of these hardware devices typically, although not always, focuses on an entire process plant or a part of a process plant. These hardware devices run applications that can, for example, enable an operator to perform functions regarding controlling a process and / or operating a process plant, such as changing settings of process control routines, modifying the operation of control modules within a controller or field device, viewing the current state of a process, viewing alarms generated by field devices and controllers, simulating the operation of a process for the purpose of training personnel or testing process control software, maintaining and updating a configuration database, and so on. The data highway used by the hardware devices, controllers, and field devices can include a wired communication path, a wireless communication path, or a combination of wired and wireless communication paths.

[0004] As an example, DeltaV sold by Emerson Process Management TMThe control system includes multiple applications that are stored in and executed by different devices located at different positions within a process plant. Each of these applications provides a user interface (UI) to allow a user (e.g., a configuration engineer, an operator, a maintenance technician, etc.) to view and / or modify various aspects of the process plant operation and configuration. Throughout the specification, the phrases "user interface", "UI", and / or graphical user interface (GUI) are used to refer to an application or screen that allows a user to view or modify the configuration, operation, or state of a process plant. Similarly, the phrases "user interface device", "UI device", and / or "GUI device" are used to refer to the device on which the user interface operates, whether the device is fixed (e.g., a workstation, a wall-mounted display, a process control device display, etc.) or mobile (e.g., a laptop computer, a tablet, a smart phone, etc.). A configuration application residing in one or more operator workstations or computing devices enables a user to create or change process control modules and download these process control modules to dedicated distributed controllers via a data highway. Typically, these control modules are composed of communicatively interconnected function blocks that perform functions within a control scheme based on inputs thereto and provide outputs to other function blocks within the control scheme. The configuration application may also allow a configuration engineer to create or change an operator interface that is used by a viewing application to display data to an operator and enable the operator to change settings within a process control routine, such as set points. Each dedicated controller, and in some cases, one or more field devices, stores and executes a corresponding controller application that runs the control modules allocated and downloaded thereto to implement actual process control functions. A viewing application that may be executed on one or more operator workstations (or on one or more remote computing devices communicatively connected to the operator workstations and the data highway) receives data from the controller application via the data highway and displays the data to a process control system engineer, operator, or user using the UI, and may provide any of a plurality of different views, such as a view for an operator, a view for an engineer, a view for a technician, etc. A data historian application is typically stored in and executed by a data historian that collects and stores some or all of the data provided across the data highway, while a configuration database application may run in another computer attached to the data highway to store the current process control routine configuration and associated data. Alternatively, the configuration database may be located in the same workstation as the configuration application.

[0005] As described above, operator displays are typically implemented on a one or more workstations on a system-wide basis and provide an operator or maintenance personnel with a display of the operating status of control systems or equipment within a plant. Typically, these displays take the form of alarm displays that receive alerts generated by controllers or equipment within a process plant, control displays that indicate the operating status of controllers and other equipment within a process plant, maintenance displays that indicate the operating status of equipment within a process plant, and the like. These displays are typically configured to display information or data received from process control modules or equipment within a process plant in a known manner. In some known systems, the display has a graphic associated with a physical or logical element, and the graphic is communicatively bound to the physical or logical element to receive data regarding the physical or logical element. The graphic can be changed on the display screen based on the received data to illustrate, for example, that a storage tank is half full, to illustrate the flow rate measured by a flow sensor, and so on.

[0006] In known embodiments, the UI can be configured to display a graphical representation of a process plant or a portion thereof, and is typically referred to as a "process display". Process displays are typically designed to be viewed on a large screen surface, such as a standard 21 or 27-inch monitor having a 16:9 aspect ratio. Thus, process displays are typically configured for large screen surfaces and typically include a large amount of graphics and information related to the process plant. For example, a single process display can contain a large amount of graphics and information regarding one or more processes operating within a process plant. These processes are typically maintained and controlled by control modules of the process plant. The control modules in turn generate or otherwise provide important information regarding the processes, such as process values, alarm information, and other diagnostic information regarding the operating status of the process plant.

[0007] However, problems arise when presenting or otherwise providing large process displays to small screen devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers. Presenting a process display originally configured for a large process monitor on a small surface screen device typically makes it difficult for plant operators to locate plant-specific information, especially in emergency situations, such as emergencies involving active alarms. For example, with a small surface device, only a small subset of the visualization can typically be presented on the screen at a given time. If the operator has to locate the desired visualization, it reduces his or her effectiveness. In addition, small screen devices typically have limited processing and storage capacity, making it infeasible to present large process displays on such devices.

[0008] In addition, this problem is generally not addressed in standard displays that provide standard UI gestures, such as panning and zooming, for navigating through process displays. This is particularly true for more detailed and / or large-scale process displays that can have multiple control modules, field devices, or other process plant entities, each with its own detailed measurements and values, many of which often change. Operating such large process displays on small-screen devices would require the user to constantly zoom in and out and pan to locate and read the values they need at that time. This not only results in low efficiency but also poor situational awareness among plant operators who rely on mobile devices to monitor the process plant. For these reasons, this can also create dangerous situations for the process plant. For example, because the process display presented on a small screen is not always fully visible and / or because of physical (e.g., processing and memory limitations of the mobile device), it is often not possible for the operator to see an alarm or for the mobile device to appropriately notify the operator of values that have reached critical thresholds. Failure to detect these critical readings can lead to damage to the process plant or injury to operators, personnel, or other assets within the process plant.

[0009] For the reasons described above, there is a need for systems and methods for regionalizing full-scale process plant displays for presentation on mobile user interface devices.

[0010] In addition, for the reasons described above, there is also a need for systems and methods for automatically detecting graphical process control loop display portions in full-scale process plant displays for presentation on mobile user interface devices.

[0011] In addition, for the reasons described above, there is also a need for systems and methods for reconstructing full-scale process plant displays at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on mobile user interface devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The disclosure of the present application generally describes embodiments of systems and methods for presenting large process displays or portions thereof defined or generated by the large process displays in an efficient and effective manner on small surface devices such as mobile user interface devices. The disclosure of the present application overcomes the problems of the prior art by describing efficient resource use (e.g., processor and memory use) and visualization systems and methods for determining and presenting display regions, view portions, and other graphical representations of large process displays on small-screen devices having a small surface area.

[0013] For example, as disclosed for various embodiments, the systems and methods of the present application solve the problem of presenting large process displays on small screen devices (e.g., mobile user interface devices) through new graphics determination, detection, and rendering techniques that allow an operator to view a large display on a small surface while attempting to maintain or at least reduce the impact on situation awareness. In various embodiments, the systems and methods described in the present application determine and present graphics and displays for small screen devices without requiring a graphics developer or computer programmer to develop new code, graphics, or display graphics for the small screen device. That is, instead of a graphics developer or computer programmer reworking, redesigning, and / or maintaining a new set of process displays configured for a small screen device, the systems and methods described herein automatically adopt the large process displays originally designed for the full-size display screens of a process plant and, as described herein, regionalize, restructure, and / or automatically introspect the full-size display screen to determine the graphic display areas and view portions of the full-size display screen to present on the small screen device.

[0014] In addition, because the systems and methods described herein are configured to operate using existing process displays (e.g., large process displays), the systems and methods described herein can enhance existing UI products commonly used in process plants, such as DeltaV provided by Emerson Process Management. TM Mobile.

[0015] Accordingly, in various embodiments disclosed herein, a graphical user interface (GUI)-based system and method are disclosed for regionalizing a full-scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device. The GUI-based system and method can include receiving, at a region determiner application (app) executing on one or more processors, a full-scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant. The full-scale process plant display can include graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant. The full-scale process plant display can include a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant. The GUI-based system and method can further include determining, by the region determiner application, one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display. Each of the one or more display regions can define a view portion of the full-scale process plant display. Additionally, each of the one or more display regions can include at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities. The GUI-based system and method can further include sending, by the one or more processors, the one or more display regions to the mobile user interface device. The mobile user interface device can execute a mobile display navigation application. The mobile display navigation application can present, on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, each of the one or more display regions, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area less than a surface area of the full-scale display screen of the full-scale surface area.

[0016] In other embodiments disclosed herein, GUI-based systems and methods are disclosed for automatically detecting graphical process control loop display portions in a full-size process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device. The GUI-based systems and methods can include receiving, at a display auto-introspection routine executed on one or more processors, a full-size process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant. The full-size process plant display can include graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant. Additionally, the full-size process plant display can include a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-size display screen of the process plant. The GUI-based systems and methods can further include automatically detecting, by the display auto-introspection routine, graphical process control loop display portions shown in the full-size process plant display. The graphical process control loop display portions can include graphical representations of one or more process plant entities selected from the plurality of process plant entities. The GUI-based systems and methods can further include generating, by one or more processors, a list of alternative displays representing the one or more process plant entities shown within the graphical process control loop display portions. The GUI-based systems and methods can further include sending, by one or more processors, the graphical process control loop display portions and the list of alternative displays to a mobile user interface device. In various embodiments, the mobile user interface device can execute a mobile display navigation application. The GUI-based systems and methods can further include presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the list of alternative displays within a first region of a display screen of the mobile user interface device. Additionally, the GUI-based systems and methods can further include presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the graphical process control loop display portions within a second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device. In various embodiments, the mobile display navigation application can be adapted to adjust a zoom level to focus on a particular process plant entity within the graphical process control loop display portion shown within the second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device upon receiving a selection from the list of alternative displays corresponding to the particular process plant entity among the one or more process plant entities.

[0017] In additional embodiments disclosed herein, a GUI-based system and method are disclosed for reconstructing a full-scale process plant display at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on a mobile user interface device. The GUI-based system and method can include sending, by one or more processors, the full-scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device. The full-scale process plant display can graphically represent at least a portion of a process plant. Additionally, the full-scale process plant display can include graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant. In various embodiments, the full-scale process plant display can be a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant. The GUI-based system and method can further include presenting, by a mobile display navigation application executing on a processor of the mobile user interface device, a first view portion of the full-scale process plant display on a display screen of the mobile user interface device. The first view portion can define a first zoom level and a first detail level of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities. In various embodiments, the display screen of the mobile user interface device can include a surface area less than a full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen. The GUI-based system and method can further include receiving, at the mobile display navigation application, a gesture command corresponding to a user manipulation of the surface area of the mobile user interface device. The GUI-based system and method can further include presenting, by the mobile display navigation application upon receipt of the gesture command, a second view portion of the full-scale process plant display on the display screen of the mobile user interface device. The second view portion can define a second zoom level and a second detail level of the process plant entity. In various embodiments, the first zoom level can be different from the second zoom level, and / or the first detail level can be different from the second detail level.

[0018] In accordance with the foregoing, and in accordance with the disclosure herein, the present disclosure includes an improvement to the functionality of a computer or an improvement to other technology. That is, the present disclosure describes an improvement to the functionality of a computer itself or "any other technology or technical field" because only the required view portions of the relevant display area will need to be displayed on the display screen of the mobile UI device. This will reduce the processing resources required by the mobile UI device. Additionally, since the full-scale process display does not need to be transmitted over the network backbone (at least in some embodiments), the improvements described herein reduce the computer network payload and traffic. Further, the GUI-based system and method for reconstructing a full-scale process plant display at various zoom and detail levels improves the performance of the mobile user interface device by allowing the user interface device to present fewer visual images and / or graphics, thereby improving the performance of the user interface device by reducing the required processing power and memory usage of the user interface device.

[0019] Additionally, the present disclosure relates to improvements to other technologies or technical fields, at least because generally, the determination and / or adjustment of the display area provides the end user of a mobile display navigation application such as herein with the experience that the display area is "customized" for their respective mobile user interface devices, and there is no need for computer programmers or designers to create and / or maintain additional process displays for each display area. Additionally, in some embodiments, process modules may be presented, for example, in a scrollable list format by a mobile display navigation application. In further embodiments, visual images related to alert information may be presented in a scrollable list format. In this way, display auto-introspection helps the operator maintain or even increase operational awareness even on small surfaces. For example, in embodiments implementing a display auto-introspection routine, by analyzing a full-scale process plant display to determine visual images of process modules that are part of a graphical process control loop display, valuable information (such as measurement parameters) may be presented to the operator of the process plant. Additionally, this also allows the operator to quickly and efficiently navigate to value information on the display. For example, tapping on an item in an optional display list will automatically zoom the display to the visual image in the display.

[0020] The present disclosure includes applying certain of the claim elements using or by means of a particular machine. For example, a user may adjust any one of the graphical details or measurement parameter details on the screen, where the current zoom level corresponds to the current level of detail of the information displayed on the display screen of the mobile UI device. The user of the mobile user interface device can thus view process or alert information on a display local to the process control system in an effective manner on a mobile user interface device with a small screen. Additionally, process plant entities of a process plant can be configured from the mobile UI device. For example, configuration options such as by means of configuration commands allow a user or program application to select an area of the operator graphics that will automatically appear as a scrollable page on the mobile device. The area is selectable in size, which reflects the size and resolution of phone and tablet screens, and when the mobile device launches a browser or a local mobile application, the screen size of the mobile device application can be automatically detected, and the graphics can be presented to match the resolution and / or size of the mobile device.

[0021] Furthermore, the present disclosure includes effecting a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing. For example, a command that can be sent to a server of a process plant to adjust or modify parameters of a process plant entity. In this way, monitoring and control of a process plant is feasible on a small screen device such as a mobile user interface device as described herein.

[0022] Advantages will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments, which are shown and described by way of example. As will be recognized, embodiments of the present invention can have other and different embodiments, and details thereof can be modified in various aspects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1A is a block diagram of an exemplary process control network operating in a process control system or process plant as described in various embodiments herein;

[0024] Figure 1B is communicatively coupled to Figure 1A a block diagram of an exemplary user interface device of a process control network;

[0025] Figure 1C is Figure 1A a block diagram of an exemplary server of a process control network;

[0026] Figure 2 is an embodiment of a full - size display screen that shows a graphical representation Figure 1A of an exemplary full - size process plant display of at least a portion of a process plant;

[0027] Figure 3A is an embodiment of a mobile user interface device that presents on a display screen of the mobile user interface device Figure 2 a first display area of an exemplary full - size process plant display;

[0028] Figure 3B is Figure 3A a mobile user interface device that presents on a display screen Figure 2 a second display area of an exemplary full - size process plant display;

[0029] Figure 4 is a flowchart representing an exemplary GUI - based method for regionalizing a full - size process plant display such as Figure 2 an exemplary full - size process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device;

[0030] Figure 5A is an embodiment of a mobile user interface device that presents on a display screen of the mobile user interface device Figure 2 an exemplary graphical process control loop display portion of an exemplary full - size process plant display and an exemplary optional display list of measurement parameters of one or more process plant entities shown within the exemplary graphical process control loop display portion;

[0031] Figure 5B is Figure 5Aa mobile user interface device that presents Figure 5A an exemplary graphical process control loop display portion of

[0032] Figure 6 and also presents an exemplary optional display list of alert indicators for one or more process plant entities shown within the exemplary graphical process control loop display portion; Figure 5A and 5B a list of exemplary measurement parameters for one or more process plant entities of

[0033] Figure 7 is a flowchart representing an exemplary GUI-based method for automatically detecting, by a display auto-introspection routine, a graphical process control loop display portion shown in a full-size process plant display such as Figure 2 an exemplary full-size process plant display;

[0034] Figure 8A is an embodiment of a mobile user interface device that presents on a display screen of the mobile user interface device Figure 2 a first view portion of an exemplary full-size process plant display of

[0035] Figure 8B and that defines a first zoom level and a first level of detail for the process plant entities; Figure 8A is a mobile user interface device of Figure 2 that presents a second view portion of an exemplary full-size process plant display of

[0036] Figure 9 and that defines a second zoom level and a second level of detail for the process plant entities; and Figure 2 is a flowchart representing an exemplary GUI-based method for reconstructing a full-size process plant display such as Figure 8A and Figure 8B an exemplary full-size process plant display at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on a mobile user interface device as shown in DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Figure 1Ais a block diagram of an exemplary process control network 100 operating in a process control system or process plant 10 as described in various embodiments herein. The process control network 100 may include a network backbone 105 that provides direct or indirect and / or wired or wireless connections between various other devices. In various embodiments, devices coupled to the network backbone 105 include access points 72, gateways 75 to other process plants (e.g., via an intranet or corporate wide area network), gateways 78 to external systems (e.g., to the Internet), UI devices 112 that may be fixed (e.g., traditional operator workstations) or mobile computing devices (e.g., mobile devices, tablets, mobile phones, smart phones, etc.), servers 150, controllers 11, input / output (I / O) cards 26 and 28, wired field devices 15 - 22, a combination of wireless gateways 35 and a wireless communication network 70. The communication network 70 may include wireless devices 40 - 58, which include wireless field devices 40 - 46, wireless adapters 52a and 52b, access points 55a and 55b, and routers 58. The wireless adapters 52a and 52b may be connected to non - wireless field devices 48 and 50, respectively. The controller 11 may include a processor 30, a memory 32, and one or more control routines 38. Although Figure 1A only a single instance of some of the devices connected to the network backbone 105 is shown, it should be understood that each device may have multiple instances on the network backbone 105, and in fact, the process plant 10 may include multiple network backbones 105.

[0038] The UI device 112 may be communicatively connected to the controller 11 and the wireless gateway 35 via the network backbone 105. The controller 11 may be communicatively connected to the wired field devices 15 - 22 via the input / output (I / O) cards 26 and 28, and may be communicatively connected to the wireless field devices 40 - 46 via the network backbone 105 and the wireless gateway 35. The controller 11 may operate to implement a batch process or a continuous process using at least some of the field devices 15 - 22 and 40 - 46. The controller 11 (e.g., may be a DeltaV TM controller sold by Emerson Process Management) is communicatively connected to the process control network backbone 105. The controller 11 may also be communicatively connected to the field devices 15 - 22 and 40 - 46 using any desired hardware and software associated with, for example, standard 4 - 20mA devices, I / O cards 26, 28, and / or any intelligent communication protocol (e.g., Fieldbus protocol, protocol, wireless protocol, etc.). In Figure 1AIn the illustrated embodiment, the controller 11, the field devices 15 - 22, and the input / output cards 26, 28 are wired devices, while the field devices 40 - 46 are wireless field devices.

[0039] In the operation of the UI device 112, in some embodiments, the UI device 112 can execute a user interface (“UI”) that allows the UI device 112 to receive input via an input interface and provide output at a display. The UI device 112 can receive data from the server 150 (e.g., process - related data such as process parameters, log data, sensor data, and / or any other data that can be captured and stored). The server 150 can include one or more processors and / or memories for executing instructions, implementing software, otherwise implementing or invoking the flowcharts, methods, or other aspects disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the server 150 can be part of or located within the process plant 10. In other embodiments, the server 150 can be a server external to the process plant 10, such as a cloud server. For example, the server 150 can be a third - party cloud server, such as a cloud server based on Microsoft Azure, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) server, etc.

[0040] In other embodiments, the UI can be executed in whole or in part at the server 150, where the server 150 can send display data to the UI device 112. The UI device 112 can receive UI data (which can include display data and process parameter data) from other nodes in the process control network 100 (e.g., the controller 11, the wireless gateway 35, or the server 150) via the backbone 105. Based on the UI data received at the UI device 112, the UI device 112 provides an output (i.e., a visual representation or a graph) representing aspects of the process associated with the process control network 100, thereby allowing a user to monitor the process. The user can also influence the control of the process by providing input at the UI device 112. For illustration, the UI device 112 can provide a graph representing, for example, a tank filling process. In this case, the user can read the tank level measurement and decide that the tank needs to be filled. The user can interact with the inlet valve graph displayed at the UI device 112 and input a command to open the inlet valve.

[0041] In some embodiments, the UI device 112 can implement any type of client, such as a thin client, a web client (e.g., via a browser), or a fat client. For example, the UI device 112 can rely on other nodes, computers, UI devices, or servers for a substantial amount of processing necessary for the operation of the UI device 112, which may be the case if the UI device is limited in memory, battery power, etc. (e.g., in a wearable device). In such an example, the UI device 112 can communicate with the server 150 or another UI device, where the server 150 or another UI device can communicate with one or more other nodes (e.g., servers) on the process control network 100 and can determine the graphics, display data, and / or process data to send to the UI device 112. Additionally, the UI device 112 can pass any data related to the received user input to the server 150 so that the server 150 can process the data related to the user input and operate accordingly. In other words, all the UI device 112 can do is present the graphics and act as a portal to one or more nodes or servers that store the data and execute the routines necessary for the operation of the UI device 112. The thin client UI device offers the advantage of having minimal hardware requirements for the UI device 112. The thin client UI can be implemented via a browser, which can be a web browser application, to present the various displays or GUIs as described herein.

[0042] In various embodiments, the UI device 112 can be a web client. In such an embodiment, the user of the UI device 112 can interact with the process control system via the control unit 94 or the mobile display navigation application 95 of the UI device 112. The control unit 94 and / or the mobile display navigation application 95 enables the user to access data and resources at another node or server 150 (such as the server 150) via the backbone 105. For example, the mobile display navigation application 95 can be a web browser that can receive and present graphics / UI data, such as display data or process parameter data, from the server 150, thereby allowing the mobile display navigation application 95 to show the graphics for controlling and / or monitoring some or all of the process. The mobile display navigation application 95 (e.g., acting as a browser) can also receive user input (such as a mouse click or a gesture command on the graphics). The user input can cause the mobile display navigation application 95 to obtain or access information resources stored on the server 150. For example, a mouse click or a gesture command can cause the mobile display navigation application 95 to obtain and display information related to the graphics that was clicked or otherwise manipulated (from the server 150).

[0043] In still other embodiments, a significant amount of processing for the UI device 112 can be performed at the UI device 112. For example, the UI device 112 can execute the UI discussed previously. The UI device 112 can also locally store, access, and analyze data.

[0044] In operation, a user can interact with the UI device 112 to monitor or control one or more devices in the process control network 100, such as any one of the field devices 15 - 22 or the devices 40 - 48. The user can interact with the UI device 112, for example, to modify or change parameters associated with control routines stored in the controller 11. The processor 30 of the controller 11 implements or monitors one or more process control routines (stored in the memory 32), which can include control loops. The processor 30 can communicate with the field devices 15 - 22 and 40 - 46, as well as with other nodes communicatively coupled to the backbone 105. It should be noted that, if desired, any control routine or module described herein (including the quality prediction and fault detection modules or function blocks) can have portions thereof implemented or executed by different controllers or other devices. Similarly, the control routines or modules described herein to be implemented within the process control system can take any form, including software, executable instructions, firmware, hardware, etc. The control routines can be implemented in any desired software format, such as using object - oriented programming, ladder logic, sequential function charts, function block diagrams, or using any other software programming language or design paradigm. In particular, the control routines can be implemented by the user via the UI device 112. The control routines can be stored in any desired type of memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM) or read - only memory (ROM)). Similarly, the control routines can be hard - coded into, for example, one or more EPROMs, EEPROMs, application - specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any other hardware or firmware element. Thus, the controller 11 can be configured (in some embodiments by the user using the UI device 112) to implement control strategies or control routines in any desired manner.

[0045] In some embodiments of the UI device 112, a user can interact with the UI device 112 to implement control strategies at the controller 11 using what are commonly referred to as function blocks, where each function block is an object or other part (e.g., a subroutine) of an overall control routine and operates with other function blocks (via a communication referred to as a link) to implement a process control loop within a process control system. Function blocks based on control typically perform one of the following: an input function, such as an input function associated with a transmitter, sensor, or other process parameter measurement device; a control function, such as a control function associated with a control routine that performs control such as PID, fuzzy logic, etc.; or an output function that controls the operation of some device such as a valve to perform some physical function within the process control system. Of course, there are hybrid and other types of function blocks. The function blocks can have a graphical representation provided at the UI device 112, allowing a user to easily modify the type of function block, the connections between function blocks, and the inputs / outputs associated with each function block implemented within the process control system. The function blocks can be stored in and executed by the controller 11, which is typically the case when these function blocks are used for or associated with standard 4-20 mA devices and some types of intelligent field devices such as HART devices, or can be stored in and implemented by the field device itself, which can be the case for fieldbus devices. The controller 11 can include one or more control routines 38, which can implement one or more control loops. Each control loop is typically referred to as a control module and can be executed by executing one or more function blocks.

[0046] Still referring to Figure 1A , the wireless field devices 40-46 communicate in the wireless network 70 using a wireless protocol such as the WirelessHART protocol. In certain embodiments, the UI device 112 is capable of communicating with the wireless field devices 40-46 using the wireless network 70. Such wireless field devices 40-46 can communicate directly with one or more other nodes of the process control network 100 that are also configured for wireless communication (e.g., using a wireless protocol). To communicate with one or more other nodes that are not configured for wireless communication, the wireless field devices 40-46 can utilize the wireless gateway 35 connected to the backbone 105. Of course, the field devices 15-22 and 40-46 can conform to any other desired standard or protocol, such as any wired or wireless protocol, including any standard or protocol developed in the future.

[0047] The wireless gateway 35 is an example of a provider device that can provide access to various wireless devices 40-58 of the wireless communication network 70. In particular, the wireless gateway 35 provides wireless devices 40-58 with access to other nodes of the process control network 100, including Figure 1ACommunication coupling between the controller 11). In some cases, the wireless gateway 35 provides communication coupling to the lower layers of the wired and wireless protocol stacks through routing, buffering, and timing services (e.g., address translation, routing, packet fragmentation, prioritization, etc.), while tunneling one or more shared layers of the wired and wireless protocol stacks. In other cases, the wireless gateway 35 can translate commands between wired and wireless protocols without sharing any protocol layers.

[0048] Similar to the wired field devices 15 - 22, the wireless field devices 40 - 46 of the wireless network 70 can perform physical control functions within the process plant 10, e.g., opening or closing valves or making measurements of process parameters. However, the wireless field devices 40 - 46 are configured to communicate using the wireless protocol of the network 70. Thus, the wireless field devices 40 - 46, the wireless gateway, and other wireless nodes 52 - 58 of the wireless network 70 are producers and consumers of wireless communication packets.

[0049] In some scenarios, the wireless network 70 can include non - wireless devices. For example, Figure 1A the field device 48 can be a traditional 4 - 20mA device, while the field device 50 can be a traditional wired HART device. To communicate within the network 70, the field devices 48 and 50 can be connected to the wireless communication network 70 through wireless adapters (WA) 52a or 52b. Additionally, the wireless adapters 52a, 52b can support other communication protocols, such as Fieldbus, PROFIBUS, DeviceNet, etc. Furthermore, the wireless network 70 can include one or more network access points 55a, 55b, which can be separate physical devices in wired communication with the wireless gateway 35, or can be provided together with the wireless gateway 35 as an integrated device. The wireless network 70 can also include one or more routers 58 to forward packets from one wireless device to another wireless device within the wireless communication network 70. The wireless devices 32 - 46 and 52 - 58 can communicate with each other and with the wireless gateway 35 through the wireless link 60 of the wireless communication network 70.

[0050] In some embodiments, the process control network 100 may include other nodes that communicate using other wireless protocols and are connected to the network backbone 105. For example, the process control network 100 may include one or more wireless access points 72 that utilize other wireless protocols such as WiFi or other IEEE 802.11-compatible wireless local area network protocols, mobile communication protocols (such as WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), or other ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector)-compatible protocols), short-wavelength radio communication (such as Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth) protocols, or other wireless communication protocols. Generally, such wireless access points 72 allow handheld or other portable computing devices to communicate via a corresponding wireless network that is different from the wireless network 70 and supports a wireless protocol different from that of the wireless network 70. In some embodiments, the UI device 112 uses the wireless access point 72 to communicate via the process control network 100. In some scenarios, in addition to portable computing devices, one or more process control devices (e.g., the controller 11, field devices 15-22, or wireless devices 35, 40-58) may also communicate using the wireless network supported by the access point 72.

[0051] Additionally or alternatively, the provider device may include one or more gateways 75, 78 to systems external to the immediate process control system. In such embodiments, the UI device 112 may be used to control, monitor, or otherwise communicate with the external system. Typically, such systems are customers or suppliers of information generated or operated by the process control system. For example, the factory gateway node 75 may communicatively connect the immediate process factory 10 (with its own corresponding process control data network backbone 105) to another process factory with its own corresponding network backbone. In one embodiment, a single network backbone 105 may serve multiple process factories or process control environments.

[0052] In another example, the factory gateway node 75 may communicatively connect the immediate process factory to a legacy or prior art process factory that does not include the process control network 100 or backbone 105. In this example, the factory gateway node 75 may translate or convert messages between the protocol used by the process control big data backbone 105 of the factory 10 and a different protocol used by the legacy system (e.g., Ethernet, Profibus, Fieldbus, DeviceNet, etc.). In such an example, the UI device 112 may be used to control, monitor, or otherwise communicate with the systems or networks in the legacy or prior art process factory.

[0053] The provider device may include one or more external system gateway nodes 78 for network communication connection of the process control network 100 with an external public or private system (such as a laboratory system (e.g., laboratory information management system or LIMS), a personnel tour database, a materials handling system, a maintenance management system, a product inventory control system, a production scheduling system, a weather data system, a shipping and handling system, a packaging system, the Internet, a process control system of another provider, or other external systems). The external system gateway node 78 may, for example, facilitate communication between the process control system and personnel outside the process plant (such as home personnel).

[0054] Although Figure 1A a single controller 11 with a limited number of field devices 15 - 22 and 40 - 46 is shown, this is merely an exemplary and non - limiting embodiment. Any number of controllers 11 may be included in the provider device of the process control network 100, and any controller 11 may communicate with any number of wired or wireless field devices 15 - 22, 40 - 46 to control the processes in the plant 10. Additionally, the process plant 10 may also include any number of wireless gateways 35, routers 58, access points 55, wireless process control communication networks 70, access points 72, and / or gateways 75, 78.

[0055] Figure 1B is a block diagram of an exemplary user interface device 112. The user interface device 112 may be communicatively coupled to Figure 1A the process control network 100. The UI device 112 may be any one of a desktop computer such as a traditional operator workstation, a control room display, or a mobile computing device such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile phone (e.g., a smart phone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wearable computing device, and / or any other suitable client computing device. The UI device 112 may include a display screen 84. Additionally, the UI device 112 includes one or more processors or CPUs 88, a memory 90 (which may be, for example, a random access memory (RAM) 90r), input / output (I / O) circuitry 91, and a communication unit 89 for sending and receiving data via a local area network, a wide area network, or any other suitable network. The UI device 112 may communicate with the controller 11, the server 150, and / or any other suitable computing device.

[0056] Memory 90 may include an operating system 92, a control unit 94, and a mobile display navigation application (app) 95 for controlling and / or presenting graphics on the display screen 84 and communicating with the controller 11 to control the online operation of the process plant. In some embodiments, the server 150 may send a graphical representation of a portion of the process plant to the UI device 112, and the mobile display navigation application 95 may in turn cause the graphical representation of that portion of the process plant to be presented on the display screen 84. For example, in various embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may present a graph of the process plant (e.g., a display area, a view portion, a GUI, a graphical display, or other graphical representation) on the display screen 84. The control unit 94 may obtain user input from the I / O circuit 91, such as user input from an operator (also referred to herein as a user), and convert the user input into a request to display a preview of a process portion that is not currently displayed, a request to display a full view of a process portion that is not currently displayed, a request to switch from a preview mode to a full view mode and display a process portion in the full view mode, a request to display an adjustment to a process parameter included in a process portion, etc.

[0057] In some embodiments, the control unit 94 may send the converted user input to the server 150, which may generate the requested UI and send it to the UI device 112 for display. The mobile display navigation application 95 may generate a new UI based on the converted user input and present the new UI on the display screen 84 of the UI device 112. When the converted user input is a request to display an adjustment to a process parameter included in a process portion, the control unit 94 may determine whether the process parameter is locked. If the process parameter is locked, the control unit 94 may not adjust the process parameter, and the mobile display navigation application 95 may present a message on the display screen 84 of the UI device 112 indicating that the process parameter is locked and cannot be adjusted. If the process parameter is not locked, the control unit 94 may adjust the process parameter value on the display screen 84 according to the user input from the operator and may provide instructions to the controller 11 to adjust the process parameter in the process plant. In other embodiments, the control unit 94 may send the converted user input to the server 150, and the server 150 may generate an adjusted process parameter value and send it to the UI device 112 for display by the mobile display navigation application 95 and provide instructions to the controller 11 to adjust the process parameter in the process plant.

[0058] Figure 1C is Figure 1ABlock diagram of an exemplary server 150 of the process control network 100. The server 150 can be a computer or a series of computers (e.g., a server farm or redundant servers) configured to receive requests from and respond to any device in the process control network 100. Such requests and responses can be data packet transmissions over a computer network such as the network backbone 105. The server 150 includes one or more processors or CPUs 160, a memory 152 (which can be, for example, a random access memory (RAM) 152r), input / output (I / O) circuitry 162 for receiving administrator commands, and a communication unit 89 for sending and receiving data via a local area network, wide area network, or any other suitable network within the process control network 100, such as the network backbone 105.

[0059] The memory 152 of the server 150 can include an operating system 154, a web application 155, a web service 156, and / or a mobile display navigation application 95 for regionalizing and generating display regions, sending display regions and other graphical, display, or graphical information to a UI device, as described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the web service 156 can include a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)-based web service or a Representational State Transfer (RESTful) web service configured on the server 150 to receive requests from a local mobile application on a client device (e.g., the UI device 112). The web service 156 can then respond with the requested information, where the request can originate from a GUI (e.g., a user request) or be initiated by an application or component of the process plant 10. In other embodiments, the web application 155 can include web applications such as Java Server Pages (JSP), RubyOn Rails, Active Server Pages (ASP), PHP, and Node.js, or other such web applications for generating dynamic web pages, displays, or graphics as described herein, and for providing such web pages, displays, or graphics to a client device (e.g., the UI device 112) as described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the server 150 can send a graphical representation of a portion of the process plant to a browser implemented on the UI device 112 as described herein.

[0060] The server 150 can also include a region determiner application 158 for determining one or more display regions of a full-size process plant display. This generally includes defining one or more view portions of the full-size process plant display for each display region as described herein. In various embodiments, the region determiner application can determine the X and Y coordinates (e.g., pixel values) of the full-size process plant display to define, generate, or otherwise map graphics for transmission to and / or presentation on a mobile user interface device (e.g., the UI device 112) as described herein.

[0061] The server 150 may also include a communication unit 166 that, under the control of the operating system 154 of the server 150, is used to communicate with the controller 11 to control the on-line operation of the process plant. The server 150 may communicate with the UI device 112 and / or any other suitable computing device via the communication unit 166. For example, the UI device 112 may provide instructions to the server 150, where the server 150 may in turn provide the instructions to the controller 11 to adjust or modify process parameters in the process plant, such as for the control of process plant entities within the process plant.

[0062] Region determiner

[0063] Figure 2 is an embodiment of the full-size display screen 202 that shows a graphical representation Figure 1A of an exemplary full-size process plant display 204 of at least a portion of the process plant 10. In various embodiments, the full-size display screen 202 may be the display screen 84 of the UI device 112 of the process control network 100. In various embodiments, the process plant display 204 may be a GUI configured for manipulation by an operator or user. For example, an operator of the process control network 100 and / or the process plant 10 may interact with the full-size process plant display 204 through the full-size display screen 202. For example, in various embodiments, implementing the full-size process plant display 204 as a GUI, the operator may manipulate the GUI through gestures (such as touch, pinch, swipe), through a cursor guided by a keyboard / mouse, and / or through other input devices configured to receive instructions (such as through the I / O 91 circuit) and provide commands to the CPU (such as the CPU 88). In any of these embodiments, the instructions may cause the control unit 94 / mobile display navigation application 95 to receive, present, update, generate, or otherwise present the full-size process plant display 204 on the full-size display screen 202, as described herein. In some embodiments, the full-size process plant display 204 may be locally integrated with the process control network of the process plant, where, for example, the full-size process plant display 204 is configured within the process plant (such as the process plant 10) and / or for monitoring or controlling the process plant and / or its process control network.

[0064] In various embodiments, the graphics and information of the process plant display 204 are presented using hypertext markup language (HTML)-based graphics (such as HTML5 graphics). The HTML graphics may be provided, for example, from the server 150 as described herein. For example, in various embodiments, the graphics and / or information of the full-size process plant display 204 may be presented as vector-based graphics, for example, through HTML " <svg>"element, or for example, via HTML included in computer instructions provided by web application 155 of server 150" <canvas>”Element rendering or drawing. In a further embodiment, the graphics and / or information of the full-scale process plant display 204 can be provided by rasterization or pre-generated graphics, such as a file provided by the server 150 (e.g., JPEG, PNG, etc.).

[0065] As Figure 2 shown in the embodiment, the full-scale process plant display 204 graphically represents the process plant (e.g., process plant 10) and a plurality of entities and related information of its process control network (e.g., process control network 100) including one or more processes within the process plant. These processes are typically maintained and controlled by control modules that generate and / or otherwise provide information about the processes. Such information can include process values, alarm information, and other diagnostic information. The graphics of the full-scale process plant display 204 are typically presented on the full-scale process plant display 204 in the form of discrete visualization images that represent one or more process plant entities or information or graphics, process values, alarm information, diagnostic information, or other information related to the process plant entities, as described herein.

[0066] For example, as Figure 2 shown, the full-scale process plant display 204 graphically represents Figure 1A a plurality of process plant entities 212 - 218 of the process plant 10. That is, the process plant entities 212 - 218 graphically represented in the full-scale process plant display 204 correspond to the real-world process plant entities of the process plant 10. For example, the process plant entities of the heat exchanger 214, pump 216, and valve 218 of the full-scale process plant display 204 including Figure 2 can graphically represent the heat exchanger, pump, and valve, as Figure 1A represented by any of the field devices 15 - 22 and / or 40 - 46 of the process plant 10. Similarly, Figure 2 the distillation column 212 of the full-scale process plant display 204 can graphically represent Figure 1A the distillation column (not shown) of the process plant 10.

[0067] Generally, the "display area" as used herein is a view portion or sub-region (whether selected automatically, such as by a program or application, or manually, such as by a user) of a full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) that is selected for transmission to and presentation on a mobile user interface device, as described herein. In some embodiments, the full-scale process plant display may be a comprehensive representation of a process plant (e.g., process plant 10), which may include most or all of the process plant entities. However, in other embodiments, the full-scale process plant display may be a less comprehensive representation of the process plant, which may include only a portion of the process plant and related portions of its process plant entities.

[0068] As Figure 2 shown, exemplary display areas 221 - 224 are determined and / or generated for the full-scale process plant display 204. Each of the display areas 221 - 224 defines a view portion of the full-scale process plant display 204. Additionally, each of the display areas 221 - 224 includes at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from a plurality of process plant entities graphically represented in the full-scale process plant display 204. For example, the first display area 221 defines a first view portion of the full-scale process plant display 204. The first view portion of the first display area 221 includes a graphical representation of a distillation column (i.e., distillation column 212). The first display area also includes other graphical representations of process plant entities, including each of heat exchanger 214, pump 216, and valve 218, each of which is directly or indirectly connected to the distillation column 212 as shown.

[0069] Similarly, as a second example, the second display area 222 defines a second view portion of the full-scale process plant display 204. The second view portion of the second display area 222 includes graphical representations of gauges 232 - 236 of process plant entities shown in the full-scale process plant display 204. For example, in one embodiment, the gauges 232 - 236 may graphically represent each of heat exchanger 214, pump 216, and valve 218, each of which is directly or indirectly connected to the distillation column 212 as shown. More generally, in various embodiments, the gauges 232 - 236 display key performance indicators (KPIs) of various process plant entities (e.g., process plant entities 212 - 218). The KPIs may include measured parameters such as temperature, level, and / or pressure of various process plant entities. For example, as described herein, Figure 6 a list of example measured parameters is shown.

[0070] As a third example, a third display region 223 defines a third view portion of the full-scale process plant display 204. The third view portion of the third display region 223 includes a graphical representation of a valve. In particular, the third display region 223 shows a video stream or image 217 of a valve of the process plant 10, which valve is any one of the field devices 15-22 and / or 40-46. In some embodiments, the video stream and / or image 217 may be a rotating video stream that shows videos of multiple devices (e.g., each of the field devices 15-22 and / or 40-46) at different times to show a graphical illustration (via video) of the valves operating within the process plant 10. Thus, the display region may include a video stream or image of a process plant entity as a type of graphical representation on the full-scale process plant display 204.

[0071] As a fourth example, a fourth display region 224 defines a fourth view portion of the full-scale process plant display 204. The fourth view portion of the fourth display region 224 includes a graphical representation of a storage tank 211. The storage tank 211 may be a tank for containing "heavy components", such as heavy chemicals or compounds, such as hydrocarbons and the like.

[0072] In some embodiments, the determination of the display region is performed by a region determination application (app) that automatically detects or determines the position of one or more display regions (e.g., display regions 221-224) in the full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204). For example, the position may be detected or determined by analyzing the X and Y pixel coordinates using the full-scale process plant display 204. In various embodiments, the region determination application includes a software application that includes computer instructions for determining display regions such as display regions 221-224. In some embodiments, the region determination application 158 may be executed in the memory 152 of the server 150 and facilitate the determination of the display regions 221-224 by receiving requests and providing responses through the web application 155 and / or web service 156 as described herein. In other embodiments, the region determination application may be executed in the memory 90 of the UI device 112.

[0073] In some embodiments, the region determiner application can automatically determine a display region (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) by detecting the frequency of the respective view portions of each of one or more display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) that access a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204). In a particular embodiment, for example, the region determiner application computer can determine a set of interconnected graphical process plant entities with the full - scale process plant display 204. For example, the first display region 221 can correspond to a region that defines a set of process plant entities (e.g., heat exchanger 214, pump 216, and valve 218) that are typically interconnected relative to the distillation column 212. The region determiner application computer can detect that these process plant entities form a set of interconnected graphical process plant entities and thus determine the view portion that defines the first display region 221.

[0074] In another embodiment, the region determiner application can automatically determine a display region (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) by analyzing portions of the full - scale process plant display 204 that have a common magnified region. For example, the region determiner application can track the portions of the full - scale process plant display 204 that a user frequently magnifies by maintaining a count of the number of times the user magnifies a view portion (i.e., the pixel region of the full - scale process plant display 204 that the user typically magnifies. Based on this frequency), the view portion. Based on this frequency, the region determiner application can determine the view portion of a given region, e.g., the second display region 222 that the user frequently magnifies to view the measurement parameters of the gauges 232 - 236. In a related embodiment, if a certain view portion is typically magnified, the region determiner application can suggest (via a suggestion engine) to the user to make that view portion a display region. For example, a user who magnifies the view portion of display region 223 or 224 can receive a graphical pop - up that includes a suggestion to create one or both of these view portions into a display region for generation and transmission to a mobile user interface device as described herein.

[0075] In some other embodiments, the determination of one or more of the display regions 221-224 is performed by a region determiner application that receives selections by one or more users (e.g., an operator or a configuration engineer). In some embodiments, the region determiner application includes a software application that includes computer instructions for receiving a user's selection of the identity and location of the display regions 221-224. In some embodiments, the region determiner application 158 may execute in the memory 152 of the server 150 and facilitate the partitioning of the regions 221-224 by receiving requests and providing responses via the web application 155 and / or the web service 156, as described herein. In other embodiments, the region determiner application may execute in the memory 90 of the UI device 112.

[0076] The user selection may define one or more corresponding locations (e.g., coordinates based on X and Y pixels) of one or more of the display regions 221-224 in the full-size process plant display 204. In some embodiments, for example, the selection may be received at a processor (e.g., CPU 88) of the UI device 112 (e.g., a UI device having Figure 2 a full-size display screen 202). For example, a user (e.g., an operator or a configuration engineer) may place the display regions at any location on an existing process display (e.g., the full-size process plant display 204). Thus, in such embodiments, display regions such as the display regions 221-224 may be added by a configuration engineer during configuration time. In this manner, the user configures the display regions such that various view portions of the full-size process plant display 204 can be presented on the mobile user interface device as described herein in a single view or a series of consecutive pages that the user can easily swipe across on the mobile device.

[0077] In some embodiments, a GUI profile may be predefined for the user. For example, the GUI profile may be determined based on one or more selections provided by the user. In some embodiments, the GUI profile may be created or accessed by selecting option 241 of the full-size process plant display 204. The GUI profile may include GUI settings that define the number of one or more display regions, i.e., how many display regions are to be displayed for a given user. In further embodiments, the GUI settings may define one or more locations of the display regions (e.g., the display regions 221-224) in the full-size process plant display. In still other embodiments, the GUI settings may define one or more zoom levels of one or more display regions (e.g., the display regions 221-224). In various embodiments, the GUI settings may be sent to the mobile user interface device. The mobile user interface device may then configure one or more display regions based on the GUI settings.

[0078] In some embodiments, a GUI profile or GUI settings may be determined based on the device type of the mobile user interface device. For example, mobile user interface devices typically have different sizes, shapes, etc., which may cause display areas (display areas 221 - 224) compatible with these different sizes and shapes to be stored as part of the GUI profile. In such embodiments, the display areas 221 - 224 may be selected by the user or automatically selected by an area determiner application to be compatible with a given size or shape of the mobile user interface device.

[0079] Figure 3A is an embodiment of the mobile user interface device 112 that presents on the display screen 84 Figure 2 the first display area 221 of the exemplary full - size process plant display 204. In various embodiments, the mobile user interface device 112 may be a UI device 112 used by an operator of the process plant 10 as Figure 1A described. In Figure 3A an embodiment, the mobile user interface device 112 is a mobile phone or a smart - phone device.

[0080] As Figure 3A shown, the first display area 221 of the full - size process plant display 204 is presented on the display screen 84. In various embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents the first display area 221 on the display screen 84. In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may be a browser application (such as a Safari or Chrome application configured to execute on a mobile user interface device). In other embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may be a native mobile application (e.g., an Apple iOS application or a Google Android application) executed on the processor 88 of the UI device 112.

[0081] The mobile user interface device 112 is configured to receive the first display area 221 from the server 150 via the mobile display navigation application 95, for example. For example, in a browser - based embodiment, the server 150 executes a web application 155. In such an embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 may receive all or part of the full - size process plant display 204 from the server 150 as HTML - compatible graphics (e.g., HTML5 - based graphics), which may include vector and / or rasterized graphics. In such an embodiment, the server 150 may further send HTML instructions, which may be part of or separate from the graphics of the full - size process plant display 204, where the HTML instructions are configured to cause the processor 88 to present the first display area 221 on the display screen 84 of the UI device 112.

[0082] As a further example, in a local mobile application embodiment, server 150 executes web service 156. In the local mobile application embodiment, mobile display navigation application 95 is implemented as a local application (e.g., an iOS or Android mobile application), and receives all or part of full-size process plant display 204 as vector and / or rasterized graphics from server 150 by requesting graphics from web service 156. In such an embodiment, mobile display navigation application 95 may include native instructions (e.g., iOS or Android-based instructions such as SWIFT, Objective-C, or Java-based instructions) configured to cause processor 88 to render first display area 221 on display screen 84 of UI device 112.

[0083] In Figure 3A the embodiment where mobile user interface device 112 is a mobile phone, the surface area of display screen 84 is less than Figure 2 the full-size surface area of full-size display screen 202 (e.g., less than half). As a result, as Figure 3A shown, mobile display navigation application 95 renders first display area 221 at a zoom level relative to display screen 84. This generally results in a focused or greater zoom level of first display area 221, which shows additional details, information, or measurements compared to full-size process plant display 204.

[0084] For example, as Figure 3A shown, first display area 221 is rendered at a greater zoom level, which includes the same information and graphics as Figure 2 the full-size process plant display 204, as well as additional information. For example, mobile display navigation application 95 renders Figure 3A first display area 221, which shows process plant entities 212-218 (i.e., distillation column 212, heat exchanger 214, pump 216, valve 218, etc.) also shown by Figure 2 the full-size process plant display 204. Mobile display navigation application 95 also renders additional information at a more focused zoom level as Figure 3A shown. For example, Figure 3A It also includes an alarm decorator graphic 239 that indicates that an alarm has been activated for the distillation column 212. In some embodiments, when the alarm decorator graphic is triggered for display (e.g., when the alarm decorator graphic 239 is activated for the distillation column 212), the mobile display navigation application 95 may present a focused view. More generally, in various embodiments, a display area (e.g., the first display area 221) may be presented by the mobile display navigation application 95 to include alarm decorator graphics (e.g., the alarm decorator graphic 239) or measurement parameters (e.g., the measurement parameters as described herein) of process plant entities selected from a plurality of process plant entities (e.g., the process plant entities of the process plant 10). Figure 6 of the measurement parameters).

[0085] In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may be configured to present the alarm decorator graphic and / or the measurement parameter in real time or near real time. In such embodiments, a change in the alarm state or the measurement parameter of the relevant process plant entity will cause the display area (e.g., the first display area 221) to be updated on the mobile user interface device 112. For example, in Figure 3A the embodiment of, a change in the alarm state of the distillation column 212 may cause the server 150 to send the alarm state information to the mobile display navigation application 95. The mobile display navigation application 95 may then no longer present the alarm decorator graphic 239 on the display screen 84.

[0086] In a further embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 may be configured to present the display area (e.g., the first display area 221) using an overview panel that indicates the position of the display area in the full - scale process plant display. For example, as Figure 3A shown, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents the first display area 221 as including an overview panel 304 that (through a view portion) indicates the position of the first display area 221 within the full - scale process plant display 204. In some embodiments, the overview panel 304 and its associated view portion may be determined by a region determiner application executed on the server 150. In other embodiments, when presenting the first display area 221 on the display screen 84, the mobile display navigation application 95 may determine and position the view portion.

[0087] In various embodiments, the mobile UI device 112 may be confirmed to receive a selection corresponding to a process plant entity. This selection may initiate control of the process plant entity in the process plant (e.g., the process plant 10). For example, as Figure 3A shown, the mobile display navigation application 95 may receive a selection corresponding to the position of the distillation column 212 on the display screen 84. This selection may cause a control window (not shown) to be displayed on the display screen 84. The control window may include graphical controls and / or input boxes to receive commands or inputs. For example, in Figure 3A In an embodiment, the control window can receive a command to adjust or modify the parameters of the distillation column 212 in response to an alert decorator graphic 239 on the display screen 84. The command can be sent to the server 150, where the server 150 can send the command to the distillation column 212 via the process control network 100. In some embodiments, the command can be sent via a voice command, where the mobile user interface device 112 receives an audible instruction (voice) at a microphone (not shown) of the mobile UI device 112, and where a processor (e.g., CPU 88) converts the audible instruction (e.g., via natural language processing) into a command sent to the server 150 to adjust or modify the parameters of the distillation column 212 as described above herein. Thus, it is feasible to monitor and control a process plant (e.g., process plant 10) on a small screen device such as the mobile user interface device 112 described herein.

[0088] In various embodiments, the display areas can be configured to be presented sequentially. For example, in Figure 3A the case shown, when the mobile display navigation application 95 receives the display areas 221-224, the first display area 221 is first shown. In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 can include (a plurality of) navigation panels to switch the presentation of the display areas, for example, in a sequential manner. For example, as Figure 3A shown, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents navigation panels 302n1 and 302n2 on the display screen 84. Selection of the navigation panel 302n1 causes the mobile display navigation application 95 to present the next area (e.g., the second display area 222) on the display screen 84. Selection of the navigation panel 302n2 causes the mobile display navigation application 95 to present the previous or last area (e.g., the fourth display area 224) on the display screen 84. By using the navigation panels 302n1 and 302n1, an operator can easily move or navigate between the display areas 221-224 as determined for the full-size process plant display 204.

[0089] In other embodiments, the user can move or navigate between the display areas 221-224 by swiping left or right. In such embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 detects the user's swipe gesture as a command to switch between the display areas 221-224.

[0090] Figure 3B is Figure 3A the mobile user interface device 112, which presents on the display screen 84 Figure 2 The second display area (e.g., second display area 222) of the exemplary full-scale process plant display 204. In various embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may be configured to resize the view portion of the display entirely on the display screen of the mobile user interface device. For example, in Figure 3B In an embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 resizes the view portion of the second display area 222 entirely on the display screen 84. The full-scale rendering also enables the user of the mobile user interface device 112 to better view the second display area 222 and its associated information, e.g., as provided by the graphical gauges 232-236, because the rendering will be at a higher zoom level and / or higher resolution.

[0091] In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may associate display areas (e.g., display areas 221-114) with variable zoom level values that correspond to the level of detail (e.g., graphical level and / or measurement parameter level) of the view portion of each display area of the full-scale process plant display. For example, in Figure 3A and Figure 3B In an embodiment, the first display area 221 may be associated with a first variable zoom level value, and the second display area 222 may be associated with a second variable zoom level value. The second variable zoom level value may be the zoom level value "3", and the first variable zoom level value may be the zoom level "2". Different zoom level values may be interpreted by the mobile display navigation application 95 regarding when to render each of the first display area 221 and the second display area 222, i.e., at different zoom levels, and the different zoom levels may be different levels of focus of the graphics of the full-scale process plant display 204. For example, as Figure 3B shown, the second display area 222 is displayed with a higher degree of focus, where the graphical gauges 232-236 are rendered entirely on the display screen 84, which corresponds to the larger zoom level value 3. In contrast, as Figure 3A shown, the first display area 221 is displayed with a lower degree of focus, where the process plant entities 212-218 are rendered on the display screen 84 as having a bounding graphic or graphic area, which corresponds to the smaller zoom level value 2. In some embodiments, an operator or configuration engineer may determine or adjust the zoom level values of the various display areas to accommodate various types of mobile user interface device surfaces. In other embodiments, the area determiner application 158 may automatically determine or adjust the zoom level values of the various display areas to accommodate various types of mobile user interface device surfaces. Generally, the determination and / or adjustment of the display areas provides the end user of the mobile display navigation application 95 with an experience where the display areas are "customized" for their respective mobile user interface devices, and there is no need for a computer programmer or designer to create and / or maintain additional process displays for each of the display areas.

[0092] Figure 3B illustrates embodiments in which display regions can be presented in sequential order relative to each other. For example, a first display region can be sequentially ordered relative to a second display region, where the mobile user interface device is adapted via a mobile display navigation application 95 to present the first display region before the second display region. For example, in Figure 3B an embodiment, a first display region 221 can be sequentially ordered relative to a second display region 222. The mobile user interface device 112 can be adapted via a mobile display navigation application 95 to present the first display region 221 before the second display region 222. As Figure 3B shown, a navigation panel 314 is presented by the mobile display navigation application 95. The navigation panel 95 is configured to receive selections (e.g., at 312n1 or 312n2) to switch the presentation of the first display region 221 and the presentation of the second display region 222 on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. The selections 312n1 and / or 312n2 cause the mobile display navigation application 95 to switch the presentation of the first display region 221 and the presentation of the second display region 222, as described for selections of the navigation panels 302n1 and 302n2 from herein Figure 3A described.

[0093] The navigation panel 314 also includes a zoom control 316. The zoom control 316 allows the user to adjust the zoom level and / or the zoom level value of the second display region 222 such that the mobile display navigation application 95 presents a more focused or less focused view portion of the full - scale process display 204 on the display screen 84. For example, in Figure 3B an embodiment, the user may have accessed the zoom control 316 to adjust the zoom - level presentation of the second region 222 completely within the display screen 84 as the user moves from the first region 221 to the second region 222.

[0094] Figure 4 is a flowchart representing an exemplary GUI - based method 400 for regionalizing a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) for presentation on a mobile user interface device. For example, in at least one embodiment, Figure 4 describes a method for regionalizing a first display region 221 and a second display region 222 of a full - scale process plant display 204 for presentation (e.g., via a mobile display navigation application 95) on a mobile user interface device 112, as herein for Figure 3A and Figure 3B As used herein, the term "zoning" generally refers to defining one or more view portions of a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) to generate or otherwise determine display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) as described herein. In various embodiments, a zoning application (e.g., zoning application 158) can determine or locate the x and / or y coordinates (e.g., which can correspond to pixel values) of a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) to generate, define, or map, or otherwise determine graphics for transmission to a mobile user interface device (e.g., UI device 112) as described herein. In some embodiments, the display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) can be determined by user selection. In other embodiments, the display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) are automatically determined by the zoning application 158.

[0095] At Figure 4 block 402, a zoning application (e.g., zoning application 158) executing on server 150 receives a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) that graphically represents at least a portion of a process plant (e.g., process plant 10). The full - scale process plant display can include graphical representations (e.g., graphical process plant entities 212 - 218) of multiple process plant entities (e.g., process plant entities 15 - 22 and 40 - 46) in the process plant (e.g., process plant 10). The full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) can be a GUI adapted to be presented on a full - scale display screen (full - scale display screen 202) of the process plant. For example, as described herein for Figure 1A the full - scale display screen can be a UI device 112 communicatively coupled to the process control network 100 and / or the network backbone 105. The full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) can be an existing full - scale process plant display previously generated or designed for the process plant.

[0096] At block 404, the zoning application 158 determines one or more display regions of the full - scale process plant display. For example, the display regions can include Figure 2 any one or more of the display regions 221 - 224. Each of the one or more display regions (e.g., 221 - 224) defines a view portion of the full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204). For example, as Figure 2 As shown, each display area 221-224 defines a straight-line view portion that defines dimensions (e.g., x-y coordinates, such as x-y pixel coordinates) corresponding to a sub-region of a full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204). In other words, the view portion maps or defines the area or extent of the full-size process plant display as a given display area. Each of the one or more display areas (e.g., display areas 221-224) includes at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from a plurality of process plant entities. For example, each of the display areas 221-224 includes a process plant entity as described herein for Figure 2 the process plant entity described.

[0097] At block 406, one or more processors, such as CPU 160 of server 150, can send one or more display areas (e.g., display areas 221-224) to a mobile user interface device (e.g., mobile user interface device 112, as shown in the examples of Figure 3A and 3B ).

[0098] In various embodiments disclosed herein, the mobile user interface 112 can execute a mobile display navigation application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95). In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 can be a browser application (such as a Safari or Chrome application configured to execute on a mobile user interface device). In other embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 can be a native mobile application (e.g., an Apple iOS application or a Google Android application) executing on the processor 88 of the UI device 112.

[0099] The mobile user interface device 112 is configured to receive display areas (e.g., display areas 221-224) from the server 150, for example via the mobile display navigation application 95. For example, in a browser-based embodiment, the server 150 executes a web application 155. In such an embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 can receive all or part of the full-size process plant display 204 from the server 150 as an HTML-compatible graphic (e.g., an HTML5-based graphic), which can include vector and / or rasterized graphics. In such an embodiment, the server 150 can further send HTML instructions, which can be part of or separate from the graphic of the full-size process plant display 204, where the HTML instructions are configured to cause the processor 88 to render the display areas (e.g., display areas 221-224) on the display screen 84 of the UI device 112.

[0100] As a further example, in a local mobile application embodiment, the server 150 executes the web service 156. In the local mobile application embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 is implemented as a local application (e.g., an iOS or Android mobile application), and receives all or part of the full-size process plant display 204 as vector and / or rasterized graphics from the server 150 by requesting graphics from the web service 156. In such an embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 may include local instructions (e.g., iOS or Android-based instructions such as SWIFT, Objective-C, or Java-based instructions) that are configured to cause the processor 88 to present display regions (e.g., display regions 221-224) on the display screen 84 of the UI device 112.

[0101] At block 408, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents each of one or more display regions (e.g., display regions 221-224) on the display screen (e.g., display screen 84) of the mobile user interface device 112. In various embodiments, the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 includes a surface area that is less than the full-size surface area of a full-size display screen (e.g., full-size display screen 202). For example, this is shown by Figure 2 , 3A and 3B, where Figure 3A and 3B the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 includes a surface area that is smaller than the full-size surface area of the full-size display screen 202 of Figure 2 .

[0102] The mobile display navigation application 95 may use different techniques as disclosed herein for different embodiments to present display regions (e.g., display regions 221-224) on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device. In a first presentation embodiment, one or more processors (e.g., CPU 160) of the server 150 may send the full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204) to the mobile user interface device. In some embodiments, the mobile user interface device 112 may save a copy of the full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204) in the memory 90. The mobile display navigation application 95 may access the full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204) from the memory 90 when presenting or otherwise manipulating graphics, display regions, view portions, etc. associated with the full-size process plant display as described herein.

[0103] In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may present one or more display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 by defining the corresponding view portions of each of the one or more display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) to the full - size process plant display (e.g., full - size process plant display 204). For example, the mobile display navigation application 95 may access the full - size process plant display (e.g., full - size process plant display 204) from the memory 90 and map the view portions to the full - size process plant display (e.g., full - size process plant display 204), including scaling, panning, and / or positioning the view portions. Thus, in such embodiments, although the mobile display navigation application 95 accesses the full - size process plant display 204 from the memory 90, only the view portions of the display regions (e.g., the first view portion of the first display region 221 as shown in Figure 3A or the second view portion of the display region 222 as shown in Figure 3B ) will be displayed on the display screen 84. This reduces the processing resources required by the mobile UI device 112.

[0104] In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may be configured to automatically detect the mobile screen size and then automatically present the display regions (e.g., the first display region 221) determined or generated on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 based on the screen size and / or resolution of the display screen 84. The determination or generation of the display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) may be performed before or during the transmission of the display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) to the mobile display navigation application 95. For example, when the mobile user interface device 112 requests the display regions from the server 150, the determination or generation of the display regions 221 - 224 may be performed.

[0105] In a second presentation embodiment, newly generated display regions may be created from the full - size process plant display (e.g., full - size process plant display 204). In such embodiments, each new display may be generated by the server 150 and may be separate from the full - size process plant display such that each new display does not depend on the full - size process plant display (e.g., full - size process plant display 204). Since it is not necessary to send (e.g., via the network backbone 105) the full - size process display, such embodiments reduce the computer network payload and traffic.

[0106] In a new display embodiment, one or more processors (e.g., CPU 160 of server 150) generate one or more new displays based on the determination of one or more display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) of a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204). In such an embodiment, each new display can be generated by server 150 to correspond to a view portion of its corresponding display region. For example, the server can determine the view portion of each of the display regions 221 - 224 and generate a new display for each region. In the new display embodiment, server 150 can send one or more display regions by sending one or more new displays to mobile user interface device 112. Mobile display navigation application 95 can present one or more new displays on the display screen of the mobile user interface device. For example, Figure 3A each of the first display region 221 and / or Figure 3B the second display region 222 can represent a new display generated by server 150 and sent to mobile user interface device 112. Generation of new displays corresponding to the display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) can occur before or during the transfer of the display regions (e.g., display regions 221 - 224) to mobile display navigation application 95. For example, when mobile user interface device 112 requests display regions from server 150, determination or generation of new displays for display regions 221 - 224 can occur.

[0107] Display Auto - Introspection

[0108] In various embodiments, GUI - based systems and methods are disclosed for automatically detecting graphical process control loop display portions in a full - scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device. In such an embodiment, graphical information within the display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) is automatically introspected (without user intervention) by a processor (e.g., CPU 88 of mobile UI device 112 or CPU 160 of server 150) and provided to the mobile display navigation application for presenting process - plant - related visualization images, views, and / or graphics configured for a small - surface - area device (e.g., mobile user interface device 112).

[0109] In various embodiments, a display auto-introspection routine can analyze a full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) to determine a visual image of a process module that is part of a graphical process control loop display. In some embodiments, the process modules can be presented, for example, by the mobile display navigation application 95 in a scrollable list format. In further embodiments, visual images related to alarm information can be presented in a scrollable list format. In this way, the display auto-introspection helps the operator maintain or even increase operational awareness even on small surfaces.

[0110] Figure 5A is an embodiment of the mobile user interface device 112 that presents on the display screen 84 Figure 2 an exemplary graphical process control loop display portion (e.g., graphical process control loop display portion 240) of an exemplary full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204).

[0111] As Figure 5A shown, the graphical process control loop display portion 240 includes process plant entities selected from the full-scale process plant display 204. These include, for example, process plant entities 212 - 218 as described herein for Figure 2 The mobile display navigation application 95 can also utilize the graphical process control loop display portion 240 to present an overview panel 304, which operates in the same manner as described herein for Figure 3A and 3B described.

[0112] Figure 5A Further shown is an exemplary optional display list (e.g., optional display list 502) that includes measurement parameters (e.g., measurement parameters 510 - 514) of one or more process plant entities shown within the exemplary graphical process control loop display portion. As shown, the optional display list 502 is displayed in a first region of the display screen 84, while the graphical process control loop display portion 240 is displayed in a second region of the display screen 84.

[0113] As Figure 5A the embodiment of shows, the mobile display navigation application 95 can present measurement parameters 510 - 514 of one or more process plant entities on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. In Figure 5A the graphical process control loop display portion 240 is focused on the process control loop of the distillation column 212. For example, as Figure 2 As shown, distillation column 212 receives an input stream and distills it into two fractions. The first fraction is output from the top of the distillation column (not shown), and the second fraction is output from the bottom portion 213 of the distillation column. The graphical process control loop display section 240 details the bottom portion 213 of the process, particularly the bottom reboiler loop of distillation column 212. The measurement parameters 510 - 514 can correspond to process plant entities in the bottom reboiler loop / bottom portion 213 of distillation column 212. In particular, as Figure 5A shown, measurement parameter 510 corresponds to the bottom flow rate of a process plant entity (FC701_03) with a value of 1.44 MBPD. Similarly, measurement parameter 512 corresponds to the bottom composition parameter of a process plant entity (AC701_01) with a value of 50.2%. Additionally, measurement parameter 514 corresponds to the bottom liquid level parameter of a process plant entity (AC701_01) with a value of 10.9%. As shown by measurement parameter 514, an alarm indicator for measurement parameters above or below an acceptable alarm state or threshold can be displayed in the optional display list 502. In Figure 5A an embodiment, the value of 10.9% for the bottom liquid level of distillation column 212 is below the acceptable threshold, thus causing the mobile display navigation application 95 to present an alarm indicator for measurement parameter 514. In some embodiments, the alarm associated with measurement parameter 514 can correspond to the decorator graphic 239 shown in the graphical process control loop display section 240 for the bottom reboiler loop / bottom portion 213 of distillation column 212.

[0114] Selecting measurement parameter 514 can cause the mobile display navigation application 95 to zoom or focus on the bottom portion 213, enabling the user to better view additional details, values, or graphics of the bottom reboiler loop / bottom portion 213 of distillation column 212. For example, additional information such as Figure 6 any or all of the measurement parameters can be presented and displayed to the user.

[0115] Thus, by analyzing a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) to determine the visual image of a process module that is part of the graphical process control loop display section, the display auto - introspection routine presents valuable information (e.g., measurement parameters) to the operator of the process plant. Additionally, this also allows the operator to quickly and efficiently navigate to the value information on the display. For example, tapping on an item in the optional display list (e.g., optional display list 502) will automatically zoom the display to the visual image in the display.

[0116] In additional embodiments, an operator can control a process plant entity in the graphical process control loop display portion 240 by selecting a graphical representation of the process plant entity on the display screen 84 or by selecting a measurement parameter (such as measurement parameters 510 - 514) from an optional display list 502. In such an embodiment, the mobile user interface device 112 can receive a selection corresponding to a process plant entity among a plurality of process plant entities, and the selection can initiate control of the process plant entity in the process plant (such as process plant 10).

[0117] Figure 5B is Figure 5A the mobile user interface device 112 that presents Figure 5A the exemplary graphical process control loop display portion 240. Figure 5B Also shown is the mobile user interface device 112 that presents an exemplary optional display list 503. The optional display list 503 includes a list of active alarms currently in the graphical process control loop display portion 240. In Figure 5B an embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents a representation of an alarm indicator 521 for a particular process plant entity on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. In some embodiments, the alarm indicator 521 can correspond to Figure 5A the measurement parameter 514 and Figure 3A the decorator graphic 239. As Figure 5B shown, the alarm indicator 521 indicates and displays the cause of the alarm, i.e., the bottom level is low and the alarm was triggered 18 minutes ago (e.g., after falling below a threshold). Alarm information can be displayed or triggered relative to other or additional measurement parameters, values, etc. (such as including the measurement parameters as described herein Figure 6 .

[0118] As Figure 5B shown, the graphical process control loop display portion 240 includes process plant entities selected from the full - scale process plant display 204. These include, for example, the process plant entities 212 - 218 as described herein for Figure 2 . The mobile display navigation application 95 can also utilize the graphical process control loop display portion 240 to present an overview panel 304, which operates in the same manner as described herein for Figure 3A and 3B .

[0119] In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may be configured to switch between multiple graphical process control loop display portions. For example, a second graphical process control loop display portion (not shown) may include a graphical process control loop display portion of a full - scale process plant display 204 different from that shown in the graphical process control loop display portion 240. For example, the second graphical process control loop display portion may include the top portion of the distillation column 212, as Figure 2 shown. In such an embodiment, the display auto - introspection routine may automatically detect the second graphical process control loop display portion shown within the full - scale process plant display 204. The second graphical process control loop display portion may include graphical representations of a second one or more process plant entities selected from among the plurality of process plant entities of the full - scale process plant display 204. One or more processors (e.g., the CPU 160 of the server 150 or the CPU 88 of the mobile UI device 112) may generate a second optional display list that represents the second one or more process plant entities shown within the second graphical process control loop display portion. The one or more processors may then send the second graphical process control loop display portion and the second optional display list to the mobile user interface device 112. The mobile display navigation application may be configured to switch the presentation of the graphical process control loop display portion (e.g., the graphical process control loop display portion 240) and the presentation of the second graphical process control loop display portion (not shown) within a second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device when a selection from the user is received at the display screen. The selection may be a swipe or other gesture, or may come from a navigation panel (not shown) as described herein for Figure 3A and 3B . In such an embodiment, the presentation of the graphical process control loop display portion causes the mobile display navigation application 95 to present an optional display list in a first region of the display screen 84. Similarly, the presentation of the second graphical process control loop display portion causes the mobile display navigation application 95 to present a second optional display list in the first region of the display screen 84.

[0120] Figure 6 is Figure 5A and 5B a list of exemplary measurement parameters 602 of one or more process plant entities. Additionally, the measurement parameters may represent what can be measured with respect to Figure 2 , 3A Values or device diagnostic information generated, controlled, measured, and / or displayed in any of the embodiments of 3B, 5A, 5B, 8A, and / or 8B. For example, measurement parameter 602 represents a key performance indicator (KPI) associated with process plant entities (such as process plant entities 15 - 22 and 40 - 46) of process plant 10. Measurement parameters (including measurement parameter 602) can be read, displayed, or otherwise visualized on any display herein, including in real - time or near real - time.

[0121] In Figure 6 the embodiment of, measurement parameter 602 can correspond to the bottom reboiler loop / bottom section 213 of distillation column 212 as described herein for Figure 5A and 5B . For example, as Figure 6 shown, measurement parameter 602 includes the bottom flow rate 604 of process plant entity FC701_03 with a value of 1.44 MBDP, which can flow to multiple destinations (including T - 721, T - 722, and T - 723) within process plant 10. Additionally, measurement parameter 602 includes the bottom liquid level value 605 of process plant entity LC701_01 with a value of 0.5. Additionally, measurement parameter 602 includes the lower control temperature 606 of process plant entity TC701_01 with a value of 668 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, measurement parameter 602 includes the heater control for reboiler 607 of process plant entity FC701_01 with a value of 1000 cubic feet per second. Additionally, measurement parameter 602 includes the bottom composition 608 of process plant entity AC701_01 with a value of 0.5.

[0122] Any or all of the measurement parameters 602 can be displayed on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. In various embodiments, more or fewer of the measurement parameters 602 can be displayed on the display screen 84 as the zoom level is modified, for example, by a gesture command that updates the zoom level value to magnify and shrink the display.

[0123] Figure 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary GUI - based method 700 representing an exemplary method for automatically detecting, by a display auto - introspection routine, a graphical process control loop display section 240 shown in a full - scale process plant display (such as full - scale process plant display 204) like Figure 2 . Method 700 can be used to generate the displays and embodiments of Figure 5A and 5B as described herein.

[0124] At block 702, a display auto-introspection routine executed on one or more processors (e.g., CPU 88 of mobile user interface device 112 or CPU 160 of server 150) receives a full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204) that graphically represents at least a portion of a process plant (e.g., process plant 10). The full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204) may include graphical representations (e.g., graphical process plant entities 212-218) of a plurality of process plant entities (e.g., process plant entities 15-22 and 40-46) in the process plant (e.g., process plant 10). Additionally, the full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204) may include a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-size display screen (e.g., full-size display screen 202) of the process plant (e.g., process plant 10).

[0125] In various embodiments, the display auto-introspection routine may be computer instructions and / or software stored in memory 90 of mobile user interface device 112 or memory 152 of server 150. In some embodiments, the graphical process control loop display portion may correspond to a process control module of a process plant (e.g., process plant 10). In such embodiments, the display auto-introspection routine may analyze the process control module and detect or determine the graphical process control loop display portion based on variables, functions, attributes, or other information of the process control module corresponding to the graphical or visual image of the full-size process plant display 204. The display auto-introspection routine may then determine a view portion of the full-size process plant display 204 that maps to the graphical process control loop display portion and may be sent to mobile display navigation application 95 for presentation on mobile user interface device 112 as described herein.

[0126] At block 704, the display auto-introspection routine automatically detects a graphical process control loop display portion (e.g., graphical process control loop display portion 240) shown within the full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204). The graphical process control loop display portion (e.g., graphical process control loop display portion 240) may include graphical representations of one or more process plant entities (e.g., graphical process plant entities 212-218) selected from a plurality of process plant entities.

[0127] At block 706, one or more processors (e.g., of mobile UI device 112 and / or server 150) generate an optional display list (e.g., Figure 5A optional display list 502) that represents one or more process plant entities shown within the graphical process control loop display portion (e.g., graphical process control loop display portion 240).

[0128] At block 708, one or more processors (e.g., of mobile UI device 112 and / or server 150) send a graphical process control loop display portion (e.g., graphical process control loop display portion 240) and an optional display list (e.g., Figure 5A optional display list 502 of

[0129] Figure 5A Figure 5A to mobile user interface device 112. In various embodiments, the mobile user interface device may execute a mobile display navigation application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95).

[0130] At block 710, mobile display navigation application 95 may present the optional display list (e.g.,

[0131] Figure 5A Figure 5A optional display list 502 of Figure 5A in a first region of the display screen 84 of mobile user interface device 112.

[0132] Full-Size Process Plant Display Reconfiguration

[0133] The present disclosure further provides GUI-based systems and methods for reconfiguring a full-size process plant display at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on a mobile user interface device. In particular, such GUI-based systems and methods allow mobile user interface device 112 and its user to visualize process data, measurement parameters, alarm information, or other information at different zoom and detail levels as described herein by reconfiguring an existing full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204) on mobile user interface device 112 in real-time or near real-time. Such systems and methods for reconfiguring a full-size process plant display may be deployed and / or implemented in existing mobile applications and / or process plant-based applications and products, such as DeltaV TM Mobile and / or DeltaV TM Live provided by Emerson Process Management.

[0134] Figure 8A and Figure 8B represent exemplary embodiments of the reconstruction of a full - scale process plant display. Figure 8A and Figure 8B illustrate a user interface device 112 as a tablet device, which displays Figure 2 a reconstructed visual image of the full - scale process plant display 204. In Figure 8A and Figure 8B the embodiment, the surface area of the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 is less than Figure 2 half of the full - scale surface area of the full - scale display screen 202 of

[0135] Figure 8A is an embodiment of the mobile user interface device 112 presenting Figure 2 a first view portion 802 of the exemplary full - scale process plant display 204 on the display screen 84. The first view portion 802 defines a first zoom level and a first level of detail of a process plant entity (such as the distillation column 212). In Figure 8A the embodiment, as further described herein, when compared with Figure 8B a second view portion 852 of

[0136] In Figure 8A and Figure 8B each, the size of each of the first view portion 802 and the second view portion 852 is set to be fully presented on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112, such that the entire or almost the entire surface area of the display screen 84 is occupied by each of the first view portion 802 and the second view portion 852. When compared with the full - scale reduced view of the full - scale process plant display 204 showing all process plant entities of the process plant display 204, this allows each of the first view portion 802 and the second view portion 852 to have a greater zoom and level of detail. That is, when the first view portion 802 and the second view portion 852 are fully displayed, the mobile user interface device 112 is not shown, and the mobile display navigation application 95 does not present all the visual images or graphics of the full - scale process plant display 204. For this reason, the GUI - based system and method for reconstructing the full - scale process plant display at various zoom and detail levels improves the performance of the mobile user interface device 112 by allowing the user interface device 112 and the mobile display navigation application 95 to present fewer visual images and / or graphics, thereby improving the performance of the user interface device 112 by reducing the processing power required (such as that of the CPU 88) and the use of memory (such as memory 90) required by the user interface device 112.

[0137] Figure 8A and Figure 8B including embodiments of automatic reconstruction of graphics for a full - scale process plant display 204, which in at least some embodiments can be locally integrated with a process control network (e.g., process control network 100) for various mobile device screen sizes and resolutions. In Figure 8A and Figure 8B embodiments of, a mobile device command gesture on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 causes a request for graphics and / or data (e.g., real - time or near - real - time graphics or data) from the server 150. The mobile display navigation application 95 can then present the graphics and data presented on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. In this way, view portions (e.g., the first view portion 802 and / or the second view portion 802) can represent a "real - time snapshot" of the actual data and / or status of various process plant entities of the process plant 10.

[0138] Additionally, specific (e.g., programmatically defined or user - defined) view portions of the graphics and / or data can be presented based on the size of the display screen 84 of the 112 accessing the graphics and / or data from the server 150.

[0139] In some embodiments, the full - scale process plant display 204 as shown in Figure 8A can be a comprehensive representation of a process plant (e.g., process plant 10), which can include most or all of the process plant entities. However, in other embodiments, the full - scale process plant display 204 (e.g., as shown in Figure 8A ) can be a less comprehensive representation of a process plant, which can include only a part of the process plant and its associated process plant entities. In some embodiments, the full - scale process plant display 204 (e.g., as shown in Figure 8A ) can be locally integrated with the process control network of the process plant, where, for example, the full - scale process plant display 204 is configured within the process plant (e.g., process plant 10) and / or is used to monitor or control the process plant and / or its process control network.

[0140] In a further embodiment, it can be confirmed that the mobile UI device 112 receives a selection corresponding to a process plant entity (e.g., distillation column 212). The selection can initiate control of the process plant entity in the process plant (e.g., process plant 10). For example, as shown in Figure 8A and Figure 8B , the mobile display navigation application 95 can receive a selection corresponding to the location of the distillation column 212 on the display screen 84. The selection can cause a control window (not shown) to be displayed on the display screen 84. The control window can include graphical controls and / or input boxes to receive commands or inputs. For example, in Figure 3A In an embodiment, the control window can receive a command to adjust the parameters of the distillation column 212 in response to the alert decorator graphic 239 on the display screen 84. The command can be sent to the server 150, where the server 150 can send the command to the distillation column 212 via the process control network 100. In some embodiments, the command can be sent by means of a voice command, where the mobile user interface device 112 receives an audible instruction (voice) at a microphone (not shown) of the mobile UI device 112, and where a processor (e.g., CPU 88) converts the audible instruction (e.g., via natural language processing) into a command sent to the server 150 to adjust the parameters of the distillation column 212 as described above herein. Thus, it is feasible to monitor and control a process plant (e.g., process plant 10) on a small screen device such as the mobile user interface device 112 described herein.

[0141] Figure 8B is Figure 8A the mobile user interface device 12, which presents Figure 2 a second view portion 852 of an exemplary full-size process plant display (e.g., full-size process plant display 204), the second view portion 852 defining a second zoom level and a second level of detail for a process plant entity (e.g., distillation column 212). The second view portion 852 represents a "zoomed-in" and / or more focused zoom level with a greater level of detail than Figure 8A the first view portion 802. In various embodiments herein, including Figure 8A and Figure 8B those embodiments, mobile touch gestures such as pinch, slide, and / or zoom can cause the content of the screen (e.g., display screen 84) to change, such as the lower / higher resolution and / or detail of the graphics and / or data as the user zooms in and out to various view portions (e.g., first view portion 802 and second view portion 802).

[0142] As Figure 8B shown, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents the second view portion 852 at a second zoom level compared to the first zoom level of the second view portion 802, which has a focused view (e.g., a more detailed view and / or a higher resolution view) of the process plant entity (e.g., distillation column 212). Compared to the first view portion 802, the focused view of the second view portion 852 includes more details / higher resolution graphics and measurement parameters of the process plant 10. For example, zooming in to the second view portion 852 causes the mobile display navigation application 95 to present detailed information including the bottom portion 213 of the distillation column 212, the decorator graphic 239, and additional measurement parameters 860 (e.g., which can be any one of the measurement parameters 602).

[0143] As Figure 8A and Figure 8B As shown, the first view portion 802 includes a first graphics resolution, and the second view portion 852 includes a second graphics resolution. In some embodiments, the first graphics resolution of the first view portion 802 may be different from the second graphics resolution of the second view portion 852. In other embodiments, the first graphics resolution and the second graphics resolution are the same, but are presented at different zoom levels by the mobile display navigation application 95. In additional embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 may determine each of the first graphics resolution and the second graphics resolution based on the size of the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. In such embodiments, a mobile user interface device 112 having a larger screen size may be configured with a view portion having a larger resolution than a mobile user interface device 112 having a smaller screen size.

[0144] In addition, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents detail information of a process plant entity (such as the distillation column 212) on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 at a second level of detail. In various embodiments, the detail information may include at least one of an alert decorator graphic (such as the decorator graphic 239) or a measurement parameter (such as the measurement parameter 602) of the process plant entity. In some embodiments, the mobile display navigation application 95 presents the detail information on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 in real time or near real time. For example, as described herein, the detail information may be obtained from the server 150 via a request from the mobile user interface device 112.

[0145] More generally, as Figure 8A and Figure 8B shown, graphics and data may be presented and displayed on the display screen 84 at various levels of detail and / or resolution according to the screen resolution. In such embodiments, the level of detail may be automatically adjusted according to the mobile device screen size or resolution and a mobile pinch / zoom touch gesture received from the user on the display screen 84. For example, in a small screen size with a low resolution (e.g., Figure 8A On a tablet device), only a few parameters will be shown. To view in more detail, the user can use touch gestures to zoom in or out, resulting in the reconstruction of data and graphics (e.g., retrieving again from server 150 or re-rendering in the case where the full-scale process plant display 204 is within the memory 90 of the mobile user interface device 112) to display different and / or higher-resolution content. In such an embodiment, the mobile display navigation application 95 will first present a lower-resolution view for the smaller mobile screen size and a more detailed view with higher-resolution content as the user zooms in. In this way, the user can adjust any one of the graphic details or measurement parameter details on the screen, where the current zoom level corresponds to the current detail level of the information displayed on the display screen 84. The user of the mobile user interface device 112 can thus view process or alarm information local to the process control system (e.g., process control network 100) on the display screen 84 in an effective manner on the mobile user interface device 112 with a small screen.

[0146] In some embodiments, each of the zoom levels is defined by a different graphic view layer. In such an embodiment, the full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) can consist of multiple graphic view layers. For example, for Figure 8A and Figure 8B , the first view portion 802 can be associated with a first graphic layer having a first zoom range, and the second view portion 852 can be associated with a second graphic layer having a second zoom range. After receiving a gesture command from the mobile user interface device 112, the mobile display navigation application 95 detects the transition from the first zoom range to the second zoom range. The detected transition can correspond to the length or degree of a swipe, pinch, or other such gesture command. Based on the length or degree, the transition command can cause the mobile display navigation application 95 to present the second view portion 852 at the second graphic layer on the display screen 84.

[0147] In certain embodiments, the graphical view layer or layout may be generated from the full - scale process plant display 204 based on the device type. For example, a "mobile phone view", such as a mobile phone graphical view layer or layout, may be user - configured or automatically determined (e.g., by the area determiner 158). In such embodiments, the view portion corresponding to the shape or area of a given mobile user interface device 112 may be determined and generated as a graphical view layer, layout, and / or area. As an additional example, a "tablet view" graphical view layer or layout may be generated based on the full - scale process plant display 204, which will display more details of the full - scale process plant display 204, where the tablet screen size is larger than the mobile phone screen size of the "mobile phone view". When the user accesses the full - scale process plant display 204 by opening it from the mobile user interface device 112, the displayed view may be based on the automatic detection of the mobile device type. In such embodiments, if the user is on a tablet, the "tablet view" appears automatically. If the user is on a mobile phone, the "mobile phone view" appears automatically.

[0148] In additional embodiments, the server 150 and / or the mobile user interface device 112 may be configured to receive a configuration command that causes the server 150 and / or the mobile user interface device 112 to execute instructions to perform the following operations: (a) predefined the graphical resolution of view portions (e.g., the first view portion 802 and / or the second view portion 852); (b) modify the detail information of the view portions (e.g., for the first view portion 802 and / or the second view portion 852); and / or (c) define a set of view layers associated with a first zoom level and a second zoom level of the view portions (e.g., for the first view portion 802 and / or the second view portion 852). Thus, such configuration options via configuration commands, for example, allow a user or application to select an area of the operator graphics that will automatically appear as a scrollable page on the mobile device. The area is selectable in size, which reflects the size and resolution of the phone and tablet screens, and when the mobile device launches a browser or a local mobile application, the screen size of the mobile device application can be automatically detected, and the graphics can be presented at a resolution and / or size that matches the mobile device.

[0149] Figure 9 is a flowchart representing for reconstructing the full - scale process plant display (e.g., the full - scale process plant display 204) at various zoom and detail levels so as to, for example, the exemplary GUI - based method 900 visualized on the mobile user interface device 112 as shown and described herein. Figure 8A and Figure 8B shown and described.

[0150] At block 902, method 900 includes sending a full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) to the mobile user interface device 112 by one or more processors (e.g., CPU 160 of server 150). The full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) may graphically represent at least a portion of a process plant (e.g., process plant 10). Additionally, the full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) may include graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities (e.g., process plant entities 15-22 and 40-46) in the process plant (e.g., process plant 10). In various embodiments, the full-scale process plant display 202 is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen (e.g., full-scale display screen 202) of a process plant (e.g., process plant 10).

[0151] At block 904, method 900 may include presenting, on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112, a first view portion (e.g., first view portion 802) of the full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) by a mobile display navigation application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) executing on a processor (e.g., CPU 88) of the mobile user interface device 112. The first view portion (e.g., 802) may define a first zoom level and a first level of detail for a process plant entity (e.g., 212) selected from a plurality of process plant entities (e.g., process plant entities 212-218). In various embodiments, the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112 may include a surface area smaller than the full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen (e.g., full-scale display screen 202).

[0152] At block 906, method 900 may further include receiving, at the mobile display navigation application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95), a gesture command (e.g., touch, pinch, or slide gesture) corresponding to a user manipulation (e.g., length or force corresponding to a touch, pinch, or slide gesture) of the surface area of the mobile user interface device 112.

[0153] At block 908, method 900 may further include presenting, on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112, a second view portion (e.g., second view portion 802) of the full-scale process plant display (e.g., full-scale process plant display 204) by the mobile display navigation application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) upon receiving the gesture command. The second view portion (e.g., second view portion 852) may define a second zoom level and a second level of detail for a process plant entity (e.g., process plant 10). In various embodiments, the first zoom level may be different from the second zoom level, and / or the first level of detail may be different from the second level of detail.

[0154] In some embodiments, a full - scale process plant display (e.g., full - scale process plant display 204) can be a browser - based display (e.g., an HTML5 - browser - based display consisting of HTML5 - browser - based graphics and / or instructions). In such an embodiment, a mobile display navigation application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) can include a browser, such as a web browser for receiving HTML - based graphics and / or instructions. The browser (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) can present a first view portion (e.g., first view portion 802) on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. In such an embodiment, receiving a gesture command at the browser (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) / display screen 84 can cause the browser to execute an instruction requesting the electronic transmission of detailed information (e.g., graphics, such as vector - based information / images or rasterized images, and / or data, such as measurement parameters) from a server (e.g., server 150) associated with a process plant (e.g., process plant 10). Upon receiving the detailed information, the browser (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) can then present a second view portion (e.g., second view portion 802) with the detailed information.

[0155] In a further embodiment, the mobile display navigation application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) includes a native mobile application (e.g., an Apple iOS or Google Android application). The native mobile application can present a first view portion (e.g., first view portion 802) on the display screen 84 of the mobile user interface device 112. In such an embodiment, receiving a gesture command at the native mobile application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) / display screen 84 can cause the browser to execute an instruction requesting the electronic transmission of detailed information (e.g., graphics, such as vector - based information / images or rasterized images, and / or data, such as measurement parameters) from a server (e.g., server 150) associated with a process plant (e.g., process plant 10). Upon receiving the detailed information, the native application (e.g., mobile display navigation application 95) can then present a second view portion (e.g., second view portion 802) with the detailed information.

[0156] Aspects of the present disclosure

[0157] Region determiner aspects

[0158] 1. A method based on a graphical user interface (GUI) for regionalizing a full - scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device, the GUI - based method comprising: receiving, at a region determiner application (app) executed on one or more processors, a full - scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant, the full - scale process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full - scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full - scale display screen of the process plant; determining, by the region determiner application, one or more display regions of the full - scale process plant display, each of the one or more display regions defining a view portion of the full - scale process plant display, and each of the one or more display regions including at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities; sending, by the one or more processors, the one or more display regions to a mobile user interface device that executes a mobile display navigation application; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, each of the one or more display regions on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than the full - scale surface area of the full - scale display screen.

[0159] 2. The GUI - based method according to aspect 1, further comprising: sending, by the one or more processors, the full - scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more display regions on the display screen of the mobile user interface device by defining the view portion of each of the one or more display regions as the full - scale process plant display.

[0160] 3. The GUI - based method according to aspect 1, further comprising generating, by the one or more processors, one or more new displays based on the determination of the one or more display regions of the full - scale process plant display, each new display corresponding to the view portion of its corresponding display region, wherein sending the one or more display regions to the mobile user interface device includes: sending the one or more new displays to the mobile user interface device, and wherein the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more new displays on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0161] 4. The GUI-based method according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein determining the one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display comprises: the region determiner application receiving one or more user selections that define one or more corresponding positions of the one or more display regions in the full-scale process plant display.

[0162] 5. The GUI-based method according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein determining the one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display comprises: the region determiner application automatically detecting the positions of the one or more display regions in the full-scale process plant display.

[0163] 6. The GUI-based method according to aspect 5, wherein each of the one or more display regions is detected based on the frequency of accessing the view portions of each of the one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display.

[0164] 7. The GUI-based method according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein each of the one or more display regions is associated with a variable zoom level value corresponding to the level of detail of the view portion of each of the one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display.

[0165] 8. The GUI-based method according to aspect 7, wherein the one or more display regions include at least a first display region and a second display region, wherein the mobile user interface device presents the first display region at a first zoom level and presents the second display region at a second zoom level, the first zoom level being different from the second zoom level.

[0166] 9. The GUI-based method according to any one of the foregoing aspects, wherein the one or more display regions include at least a first display region and a second display region, wherein the first display region is sorted sequentially relative to the second display region, and the mobile user interface device is adapted to present the first display region before the second display region.

[0167] 10. The GUI-based method according to aspect 9, wherein each of the one or more display regions is presented by the mobile user interface device using a navigation panel configured to receive a selection to switch the presentation of the first display region and the presentation of the second display region on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0168] 11. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects further includes: the area determiner applying access to a predefined GUI profile including GUI settings, the GUI settings defining at least one of the following: the number of one or more display areas, the one or more positions of the one or more display areas in the full-size process plant display, or the one or more zoom levels of the one or more display areas; and sending the GUI settings to the mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile user interface device is adapted to configure the one or more display areas based on the GUI settings.

[0169] 12. The GUI-based method according to aspect 11, wherein the predefined GUI profile is determined based on one or more selections provided by the user.

[0170] 13. The GUI-based method according to aspect 11, wherein the predefined GUI profile is determined based on the device type of the mobile user interface device.

[0171] 14. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the size of the view portion of at least one of the one or more display areas is set to be fully presented on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0172] 15. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the surface area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device is less than half of the full-size surface area of the full-size display screen.

[0173] 16. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the full-size process plant display is a comprehensive representation of the process plant.

[0174] 17. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein at least one display area includes an alarm decorator graphic or measurement parameter of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities.

[0175] 18. The GUI-based method according to aspect 17, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to present the alarm decorator graphic or measurement parameter in real time or near real time.

[0176] 19. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein at least one display area includes a video stream or image of a process plant entity.

[0177] 20. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein at least one display area includes an overview panel that indicates the position of the at least one display area in the full-scale process plant display.

[0178] 21. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the full-scale process plant display is locally integrated with the process control network of the process plant.

[0179] 22. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, further comprising: receiving a selection from the mobile user interface device, the selection corresponding to one of the plurality of process plant entities, and wherein the selection initiates control of the process plant entity within the process plant.

[0180] 23. The GUI-based method according to any of the foregoing aspects, further comprising: automatically detecting, by a display auto-introspection routine executed on the one or more processors, a graphical process control loop display portion shown in the full-scale process plant display, wherein the determining of the one or more display areas includes: defining a specific display area as the graphical process control loop display portion; generating, by the area determiner application or the mobile display navigation application, an optional display list representing one or more process plant entities shown within the graphical process control loop display portion; presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the optional display list within a first area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the graphical process control loop display portion within a second area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile display navigation application is adapted to adjust a zoom level to focus on the specific process plant entity within the graphical process control loop display portion upon receiving a selection corresponding to the specific process plant entity from the optional display list.

[0181] 24. The GUI-based method according to aspect 23, further comprising: presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, a representation of one or more measurement parameters of the specific process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0182] 25. The GUI-based method according to aspect 23, further comprising: presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, a representation of one or more alarm indicators of the specific process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0183] 26. A graphical user interface (GUI)-based system configured to regionalize a full-scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device, the GUI-based system comprising: a server including one or more processors, the server communicatively coupled to a process control network of a process plant including a plurality of process plant entities; a region determiner application executed on the one or more processors, the region determiner application configured to determine one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display, each of the one or more display regions defining a view portion of the full-scale process plant display, and each of the one or more display regions including at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities, wherein the full-scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant; and a mobile display navigation application executed on one or more processors of a mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile user interface device is configured to receive the one or more display regions, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to present each of the one or more display regions on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, and wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area less than a full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen.

[0184] 27. The GUI-based system according to aspect 26, wherein the one or more processors are configured to send the full-scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device, and wherein the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more display regions on the display screen of the mobile user interface device by defining the view portion of each of the one or more display regions as the full-scale process plant display.

[0185] 28. The GUI-based system according to aspect 26, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate one or more new displays based on the determination of the one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display, each new display corresponding to the view portion of its corresponding display region, and wherein sending the one or more display regions to the mobile user interface device includes: sending the one or more new displays to the mobile user interface device, and wherein the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more new displays on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0186] 29. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 26 to 28, wherein the determination of one or more display areas of the full-scale process plant display includes: the area determiner application receiving one or more user selections that define one or more corresponding positions of the one or more display areas in the full-scale process plant display.

[0187] 30. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 26 to 29, wherein the determination of the one or more display areas of the full-scale process plant display includes: the area determiner application automatically detecting the positions of the one or more display areas in the full-scale process plant display.

[0188] 31. The GUI-based system according to aspect 30, wherein each of the one or more display areas is detected based on the frequency of accessing the view portion of each of the one or more display areas of the full-scale process plant display.

[0189] 32. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 26 to 31, wherein each of the one or more display areas is associated with a variable zoom level value that corresponds to the level of detail of the view portion of each of the one or more display areas of the full-scale process plant display.

[0190] 33. The GUI-based system according to aspect 32, wherein the one or more display areas include at least a first display area and a second display area, wherein the mobile user interface device presents the first display area at a first zoom level and presents the second display area at a second zoom level, the first zoom level being different from the second zoom level.

[0191] 34. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 26 to 33, wherein the one or more display areas include at least a first display area and a second display area, wherein the first display area is sorted sequentially relative to the second display area, and the mobile user interface device is adapted to present the first display area before the second display area.

[0192] 35. The GUI-based system according to aspect 34, wherein each of the one or more display areas is presented by the mobile user interface device using a navigation panel configured to receive a selection to switch the presentation of the first display area and the presentation of the second display area on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0193] 36. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 26 to 35, wherein the region determiner application is configured to access a predefined GUI profile including GUI settings that define at least one of the following: the number of one or more display regions, one or more positions in the full-scale process plant where the one or more display regions are to be displayed, or one or more zoom levels of the one or more display regions, wherein the one or more processors are configured to send the GUI settings to the mobile user interface device, and wherein the mobile user interface device is adapted to configure the one or more display regions based on the GUI settings.

[0194] 37. The GUI-based system according to aspect 36, wherein the predefined GUI profile is determined based on one or more selections provided by a user.

[0195] 38. The GUI-based system according to aspect 36, wherein the predefined GUI profile is determined based on the device type of the mobile user interface device.

[0196] 39. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for regionalizing a full-scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device, which when executed by one or more processors of a computing device cause the computing device to perform the following operations: receiving, at a region determiner application (app) executed on one or more processors, a full-scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant, the full-scale process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full-scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant; determining, by the region determiner application, one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display, each of the one or more display regions defining a view portion of the full-scale process plant display, each of the one or more display regions including at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities; sending, by the one or more processors, the one or more display regions to a mobile user interface device that executes a mobile display navigation application; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, each of the one or more display regions on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than a full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen.

[0197] Display automatic introspection aspect

[0198] 40. A GUI-based method for automatically detecting a graphical process control loop display portion in a full-size process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device, the GUI-based method comprising: receiving, at a display auto-introspection routine executed on one or more processors, a full-size process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant, the full-size process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full-size process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-size display screen of the process plant; automatically detecting, by the display auto-introspection routine, a graphical process control loop display portion shown in the full-size process plant display, the graphical process control loop display portion including graphical representations of one or more process plant entities selected from the plurality of process plant entities; generating, by the one or more processors, an optional display list representing the one or more process plant entities shown within the graphical process control loop display portion; sending, by the one or more processors, the graphical process control loop display portion and the optional display list to a mobile user interface device, the mobile user interface device executing a mobile display navigation application, presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the optional display list within a first region of a display screen of the mobile user interface device; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the graphical process control loop display portion within a second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile display navigation application is adapted to adjust a zoom level to focus on the particular process plant entity within the graphical process control loop display portion upon receiving a selection corresponding to the particular process plant entity from the optional display list.

[0199] 41. The GUI-based method according to aspect 40, further comprising: presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, a representation of one or more measurement parameters of the particular process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0200] 42. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 40 to 41, further comprising: presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, a representation of one or more alarm indicators of the particular process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0201] 43. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 40 to 42, wherein the graphical process control loop display portion corresponds to a process control module of the process plant.

[0202] 44. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 40 to 43 further includes: automatically detecting, by the display auto-introspection routine, a second graphical process control loop display portion shown in the full-scale process plant display, the second graphical process control loop display portion including graphical representations of a second one or more process plant entities selected from the plurality of process plant entities; generating, by the one or more processors, a second optional display list representing the second one or more process plant entities shown within the second graphical process control loop display portion; and sending, by the one or more processors, the second graphical process control loop display portion and the second optional display list to a mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to switch, in the second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device, the presentation of the graphical process control loop display portion and the presentation of the second graphical process control loop display portion upon receiving a selection from the display screen by the user, wherein the presentation of the graphical process control loop display portion causes the presentation of the optional display list in the first region, and wherein the presentation of the second graphical process control loop display portion causes the presentation of the second optional display list in the first region.

[0203] 45. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 40 to 44 further includes: receiving a selection from the mobile user interface device, the selection corresponding to one of the process plant entities of the plurality of process plant entities, and wherein the selection initiates control of the process plant entity within the process plant.

[0204] 46. A system based on a guided user interface (GUI), the system being configured to automatically detect a graphical process control loop display portion in a full - scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device. The GUI - based system includes: a server including one or more processors, the server communicatively coupled to a process control network of a process plant including a plurality of process plant entities; a display auto - introspection routine executed on the one or more processors of the server; and a mobile display navigation application executed on one or more processors of a mobile user interface device, the mobile display navigation application communicatively coupled to the server. Wherein, the display auto - introspection routine is configured to: receive a full - scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of the process plant, the full - scale process plant display including graphical representations of the plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full - scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full - scale display screen of the process plant; automatically detect a graphical process control loop display portion shown in the full - scale process plant display, the graphical process control loop display portion including graphical representations of one or more process plant entities selected from the plurality of process plant entities; generate an optional display list representing the one or more process plant entities shown within the graphical process control loop display portion. Wherein, the server is configured to send the graphical process control loop display portion and the optional display list to the mobile user interface device, and wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to: present the optional display list within a first region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device; and present the graphical process control loop display portion within a second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device. Wherein, the mobile display navigation application is adapted to adjust a zoom level to focus on the particular process plant entity within the graphical process control loop display portion upon receiving a selection corresponding to the particular process plant entity from the optional display list.

[0205] 47. The GUI - based system according to aspect 46, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to present a representation of one or more measurement parameters of the particular process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0206] 48. The GUI - based system according to any one or more of aspects 46 to 47, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to present a representation of one or more alarm indicators of the particular process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0207] 49. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 46 to 48, wherein the graphical process control loop display portion corresponds to a process control module of the process plant.

[0208] 50. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 46 to 49, wherein the display auto-introspection routine is configured to automatically detect a second graphical process control loop display portion shown in the full-scale process plant display, the second graphical process control loop display portion including graphical representations of a second one or more process plant entities selected from the plurality of process plant entities; wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate a second optional display list representing the second one or more process plant entities shown within the second graphical process control loop display portion; and wherein the one or more processors are configured to send the second graphical process control loop display portion and the second optional display list to a mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to, upon receiving a selection from the user at the display screen, switch the presentation of the graphical process control loop display portion and the presentation of the second graphical process control loop display portion within a second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the presentation of the graphical process control loop display portion causes the presentation of the optional display list in the first region, and wherein the presentation of the second graphical process control loop display portion causes the presentation of the second optional display list in the first region.

[0209] 51. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 46 to 50, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to receive a selection from the mobile user interface device, the selection corresponding to one of the plurality of process plant entities, and wherein the selection initiates control of the process plant entity within the process plant.

[0210] 52. A tangible non - transitory computer - readable medium storing instructions for automatically detecting a graphical process control loop display portion in a full - scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device. The instructions, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the following operations: receive a full - scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant at a display auto - introspection routine executed on one or more processors, the full - scale process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full - scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full - scale display screen of the process plant; automatically detect, by the display auto - introspection routine, a graphical process control loop display portion shown in the full - scale process plant display, the graphical process control loop display portion including graphical representations of one or more process plant entities selected from the plurality of process plant entities; generate, by the one or more processors, an optional display list representing the one or more process plant entities shown within the graphical process control loop display portion; send, by the one or more processors, the graphical process control loop display portion and the optional display list to a mobile user interface device that executes a mobile display navigation application, the mobile display navigation application presenting the optional display list within a first region of a display screen of the mobile user interface device; and present, by the mobile display navigation application, the graphical process control loop display portion within a second region of the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile display navigation application is adapted to adjust a zoom level to focus on the particular process plant entity within the graphical process control loop display portion upon receiving a selection corresponding to the particular process plant entity from the one or more process plant entities in the optional display list.

[0211] Full - scale process plant display reconstruction

[0212] 53. A method based on a graphical user interface (GUI) for reconstructing a full - scale process plant display at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on a mobile user interface device, the GUI - based method comprising: sending, by one or more processors, the full - scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device, the full - scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant, the full - scale process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full - scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full - scale display screen of the process plant; presenting, by a mobile display navigation application executing on a processor of the mobile user interface device, a first view portion of the full - scale process plant display on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, the first view portion defining a first zoom level and a first detail level of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than a full - scale surface area of the full - scale display screen; receiving, at the mobile display navigation application, a gesture command corresponding to a user manipulation of the surface area of the mobile user interface device; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application upon receiving the gesture command, a second view portion of the full - scale process plant display on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, the second view portion defining a second zoom level and a second detail level of the process plant entity, wherein the first zoom level is different from the second zoom level, and wherein the first detail level is different from the second detail level.

[0213] 54. The GUI - based method according to aspect 53, wherein the mobile display navigation application presents a focused view of the process plant entity at the second zoom level as compared to the first zoom level, and wherein the mobile display navigation application presents detail information of the process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device at the second detail level.

[0214] 55. The GUI - based method according to aspect 54, wherein the detail information includes at least one of an alarm decorator graphic or a measurement parameter of the process plant entity.

[0215] 56. The GUI - based method according to aspects 54 to 55, wherein the information includes the alarm decorator graphic, and wherein the mobile display navigation application presents the focused view when the alarm decorator graphic is triggered for display.

[0216] 57. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 54 to 56, wherein the mobile display navigation application presents the detailed information on the display screen of the mobile user interface device in real time or near real time.

[0217] 58. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 54 to 57, wherein the first view portion includes a first graphic resolution and the second view portion includes a second graphic resolution, and the first graphic resolution is different from the second graphic resolution.

[0218] 59. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 54 to 58, wherein the mobile display navigation application determines each of the first graphic resolution and the second graphic resolution based on the size of the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0219] 60. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 54 to 59, wherein the full-size process plant display includes a plurality of graphic view layers, wherein the first view portion is associated with a first graphic layer having a first zoom range, and wherein the second view portion is associated with a second graphic layer having a second zoom range, and wherein the mobile display navigation application detects a transition from the first zoom range to the second zoom range upon receiving the gesture command, the transition causing the mobile display navigation application to present the second view portion in the second graphic layer.

[0220] 61. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 54 to 60, further comprising receiving, at the one or more processors, a configuration command that causes the one or more processors to execute instructions to perform one or more of the following: (a) predefined the graphic resolution of the first view portion or the second view portion, (b) modify the detailed information, or (c) define a set of view layers associated with the first zoom level and the second zoom level.

[0221] 62. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 54 to 61, wherein the full-size process plant display is a browser-based display, and the mobile display navigation application includes a browser, wherein the browser presents the first view portion on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein receiving the gesture command at the mobile display navigation application causes the browser to execute an instruction to request electronic transmission of the detail information from a server associated with the process plant, and wherein the browser presents the second view portion with the detail information upon receiving the detail information.

[0222] 63. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 54 to 62, wherein the mobile display navigation application includes a native mobile application, wherein the native mobile application presents the first view portion on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein receiving the gesture command at the mobile display navigation application causes the native mobile application to execute an instruction to request electronic transmission of the detail information from a server associated with the process plant, and wherein the native mobile application presents the second view portion with the detail information upon receiving the detail information.

[0223] 64. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 53 to 63, wherein the surface area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device is less than half of the full-size surface area of the full-size display screen.

[0224] 65. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 53 to 64, wherein the size of each of the first view portion and the second view portion is set to be fully presented on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0225] 66. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 53 to 65, wherein the full-size process plant display is a comprehensive representation of the process plant.

[0226] 67. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 53 to 66, wherein the full-size process plant display is locally integrated with the process control network of the process plant.

[0227] 68. The GUI-based method according to any one or more of aspects 53 to 67 further includes: receiving a selection from the mobile user interface device, the selection corresponding to the process plant entity among the plurality of process plant entities, and wherein the selection initiates control of the process plant entity within the process plant.

[0228] 69. A graphical user interface (GUI)-based system configured to reconstruct a full-scale process plant display at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on a mobile user interface device, the GUI-based system includes: a server including one or more processors, the server communicatively coupled to a process control network of a process plant including a plurality of process plant entities; and a mobile display navigation application executed on one or more processors of the mobile user interface device, the mobile display navigation application communicatively coupled to the server, wherein the server is configured to send the full-scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device, the full-scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of the process plant, the full-scale process plant display including graphical representations of the plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full-scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant, and wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to: on a processor of the mobile user interface device, present a first view portion of the full-scale process plant display on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, the first view portion defining a first zoom level and a first detail level of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than a full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen; receive a gesture command corresponding to user manipulation of the surface area of the mobile user interface device; and when the mobile display navigation application receives the gesture command, present a second view portion of the full-scale process plant display on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, the second view portion defining a second zoom level and a second detail level of the process plant entity, wherein the first zoom level is different from the second zoom level, and wherein the first detail level is different from the second detail level.

[0229] 70. The GUI-based system according to aspect 69, wherein the mobile display navigation application presents a focused view of the process plant entity at the second zoom level compared to the first zoom level, and wherein the mobile display navigation application presents detail information of the process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device at the second detail level.

[0230] 71. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 69 to 70, wherein the detailed information includes at least one of an alarm decorator graphic or a measurement parameter of the process plant entity.

[0231] 72. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 69 to 71, wherein the information includes the alarm decorator graphic, and wherein the mobile display navigation application presents the focused view when the alarm decorator graphic is triggered for display.

[0232] 72. The GUI-based system according to aspects 71 to 72, wherein the mobile display navigation application presents the detailed information on the display screen of the mobile user interface device in real time or near real time.

[0233] 73. The GUI-based system according to aspects 71 to 72, wherein the first view portion includes a first graphic resolution, and the second view portion includes a second graphic resolution, the first graphic resolution being different from the second graphic resolution.

[0234] 74. The GUI-based system according to aspect 73, wherein the mobile display navigation application determines each of the first graphic resolution and the second graphic resolution based on the size of the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0235] 75. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 70 to 74, wherein the full-size process plant display includes a plurality of graphic view layers, wherein the first view portion is associated with a first graphic layer having a first zoom range, and wherein the second view portion is associated with a second graphic layer having a second zoom range, and wherein the mobile display navigation application detects a transition from the first zoom range to the second zoom range upon receiving the gesture command, the transition causing the mobile display navigation application to present the second view portion in the second graphic layer.

[0236] 76. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 70 to 75, further comprising receiving a configuration command at the one or more processors, the configuration command causing the one or more processors to execute instructions to implement one or more of the following: (a) predefined the graphic resolution of the first view portion or the second view portion, (b) modify the detailed information, or (c) define a set of view layers associated with the first zoom level and the second zoom level.

[0237] 77. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 70 to 76, wherein the full-scale process plant display is a browser-based display, and the mobile display navigation application includes a browser, wherein the browser presents the first view portion on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein receiving the gesture command at the mobile display navigation application causes the browser to execute an instruction to request electronic transmission of the detailed information from a server associated with the process plant, and wherein the browser presents the second view portion with the detailed information upon receiving the detailed information.

[0238] 78. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 70 to 77, wherein the mobile display navigation application includes a native mobile application, wherein the native mobile application presents the first view portion on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein receiving the gesture command at the mobile display navigation application causes the native mobile application to execute an instruction to request electronic transmission of the detailed information from a server associated with the process plant, and wherein the native mobile application presents the second view portion with the detailed information upon receiving the detailed information.

[0239] 79. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 69 to 78, wherein the surface area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device is less than half of the full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen.

[0240] 80. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 69 to 79, wherein the size of each of the first view portion and the second view portion is set to be fully presented on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

[0241] 81. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 69 to 80, wherein the full-scale process plant display is a comprehensive representation of the process plant.

[0242] 82. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 69 to 81, wherein the full-scale process plant display is locally integrated with the process control network of the process plant.

[0243] 83. The GUI-based system according to any one or more of aspects 69 to 82, wherein the mobile display navigation application receives a selection from the mobile user interface device, the selection corresponding to the process plant entity among the plurality of process plant entities, and wherein the selection initiates control of the process plant entity within the process plant.

[0244] 84. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for reconstructing a full-scale process plant display at various zoom and detail levels for visualization on a mobile user interface device, which when executed by one or more processors of a computing device cause the computing device to perform the following operations: sending, by one or more processors, the full-scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device, the full-scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant, the full-scale process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full-scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant; presenting, by a mobile display navigation application executed on a processor of the mobile user interface device, a first view portion of the full-scale process plant display on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, the first view portion defining a first zoom level and a first detail level of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than a full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen; receiving, at the mobile display navigation application, a gesture command corresponding to a user manipulation of the surface area of the mobile user interface device; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application upon receiving the gesture command, a second view portion of the full-scale process plant display on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, the second view portion defining a second zoom level and a second detail level of the process plant entity, wherein the first zoom level is different from the second zoom level, and wherein the first detail level is different from the second detail level.

[0245] The foregoing aspects of the present disclosure are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0246] In addition, the following additional considerations apply to the foregoing discussion. Throughout the specification, actions described as being performed by any device or routine generally refer to actions or processes by which a processor manipulates or transforms data in accordance with machine-readable instructions. The machine-readable instructions may be stored on a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor and retrieved therefrom. That is, the methods described herein may be implemented by a set of machine-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium (i.e., a memory device), such as Figure 1B and / or Figure 1C as shown. When executed by one or more processors of a corresponding device (e.g., a server, a user interface device, etc.), the instructions cause the processor to perform the method. In cases where instructions, routines, modules, processes, services, programs, and / or applications are referred to herein as being stored or saved on a computer-readable memory or computer-readable medium, the words "store" and "save" are intended to exclude transient signals.

[0247] In addition, although terms such as "operator", "personnel", "person", "user", "technician", and other similar terms are used to describe a person who can use or interact with the systems, devices, and methods described herein in a process plant environment, these terms are not restrictive. In cases where a particular term is used in the specification, the term is used in part due to traditional activities performed by plant personnel, but is not intended to limit the personnel who can perform that particular activity.

[0248] Additionally, throughout the specification, multiple instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. Although the various operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed simultaneously, and the operations are not required to be performed in the illustrated order. Structures and functions presented as separate components in an exemplary configuration may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functions presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter herein.

[0249] Unless otherwise specifically stated, discussions herein using words such as "process", "compute", "operate", "determine", "identify", "present", "cause to present", "cause to display", "display", etc. may refer to actions or processes of a machine (e.g., a computer) manipulating or transforming data represented as physical (e.g., electronic, magnetic, biological, or optical) quantities within one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or other machine components that receive, store, transmit, or display information.

[0250] When implemented in software, any of the applications, services, and engines described herein can be stored in any tangible non-transitory computer-readable memory, such as on a disk, a laser disk, a solid-state memory device, a molecular memory storage device, or other storage media, in the RAM or ROM of a computer or processor, and the like. Although the exemplary systems disclosed herein are disclosed as including software and / or firmware and other components that execute on hardware, it should be noted that such systems are merely illustrative and should not be considered limiting. For example, it is contemplated that any one or all of these hardware, software, and firmware components can be implemented specifically in hardware, specifically in software, or in any combination of hardware and software. Thus, it will be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the examples provided are not the only way to implement such systems.

[0251] Accordingly, while the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, these examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the invention. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that changes, additions, or deletions can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0252] It should also be understood that, unless a statement such as "As used herein, the term '__' is hereby defined to mean..." or a similar statement in this patent explicitly defines the term, there is no intent to expressly or implicitly limit the meaning of the term beyond its ordinary or general meaning, and the term should not be construed as being limited to the scope of any statement (other than the language of the claims) made in any part of this patent. To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the beginning of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with the singular sense, this is done merely for clarity so as not to confuse the reader and is not intended to implicitly or otherwise limit these claim terms to the singular sense. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the words "means" and a function without reciting any structure, the scope of any claim element is not intended to be construed based on the application of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) and / or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6.

[0253] In addition, although the foregoing text sets forth a detailed description of many different embodiments, it should be understood that the scope of this patent is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the beginning of this patent. This detailed description should be construed as merely exemplary and does not describe every possible embodiment, as it would be impractical, if not impossible, to describe every possible embodiment. Many alternative embodiments can be implemented using current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, and these alternative embodiments will still fall within the scope of the claims.< / canvas> < / svg>

Claims

1. A method based on a graphical user interface (GUI) for regionalizing a full - scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device, the method based on the graphical user interface comprises: Receiving, at a region determiner application (app) executed on one or more processors, a full - scale process plant display graphically representing at least a part of a process plant, the full - scale process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein the full - scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full - scale display screen of the process plant; Determining, by the region determiner application, one or more display regions of the full - scale process plant display, each of the one or more display regions defining a view portion of the full - scale process plant display, and each of the one or more display regions including at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities; Sending, by the one or more processors, the one or more display regions to a mobile user interface device, the mobile user interface device executing a mobile display navigation application; and Presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, each of the one or more display regions on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than a full - scale surface area of the full - scale display screen.

2. The method based on the graphical user interface according to claim 1, further comprises: Sending, by the one or more processors, the full - scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more display regions on the display screen of the mobile user interface device by defining the view portion of each of the one or more display regions as the full - scale process plant display.

3. The method based on the graphical user interface according to claim 1, further comprises: Generating, by the one or more processors, one or more new displays based on the determination of the one or more display regions of the full - scale process plant display, each new display corresponding to the view portion of its corresponding display region, wherein sending the one or more display regions to the mobile user interface device includes: sending the one or more new displays to the mobile user interface device, and wherein the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more new displays on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

4. The method based on the graphical user interface according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the one or more display regions of the full - scale process plant display includes: the region determiner application receiving one or more user selections that define one or more corresponding positions of the one or more display regions in the full - scale process plant display.

5. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 1, wherein, the determination of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display includes: the area determiner automatically detecting the position of the one or more display areas in the full - scale process plant display.

6. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 5, wherein, each of the one or more display areas is detected based on the frequency of accessing the view portion of each of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display.

7. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 1, wherein, each of the one or more display areas is associated with a variable zoom - level value, and the variable zoom - level value corresponds to the level of detail of the view portion of each of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display.

8. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 7, wherein, the one or more display areas include at least a first display area and a second display area, wherein the mobile user interface device presents the first display area at a first zoom level and presents the second display area at a second zoom level, and the first zoom level is different from the second zoom level.

9. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 1, wherein, the one or more display areas include at least a first display area and a second display area, wherein the first display area is sorted sequentially relative to the second display area, and the mobile user interface device is adapted to present the first display area before the second display area.

10. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 9, wherein, each of the one or more display areas is presented by the mobile user interface device using a navigation panel, and the navigation panel is configured to receive a selection for switching the presentation of the first display area and the presentation of the second display area on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

11. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 1, further comprises: the area determiner applying to access a predefined GUI profile including GUI settings, the GUI settings defining at least one of the following: the number of one or more display areas, one or more positions of the one or more display areas in the full - scale process plant display, or one or more zoom levels of the one or more display areas; and sending the GUI settings to the mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile user interface device is adapted to configure the one or more display areas based on the GUI settings.

12. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 11, wherein, the predefined GUI profile is determined based on one or more selections provided by a user.

13. The method based on a graphical user interface according to claim 11, wherein, The predefined GUI profile is determined based on the device type of the mobile user interface device.

14. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, wherein, the size of the view portion of at least one of the one or more display areas is set to be fully presented on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

15. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, wherein, the surface area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device is less than half of the full-size surface area of the full-size display screen.

16. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, wherein, the full-size process plant display is a comprehensive representation of the process plant.

17. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, wherein, at least one display area includes an alarm decorator graphic or measurement parameter of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities.

18. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 17, wherein, the mobile display navigation application is configured to present the alarm decorator graphic or measurement parameter in real time or near real time.

19. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, wherein, at least one display area includes a video stream or image of a process plant entity.

20. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, wherein, at least one display area includes an overview panel that indicates the position of the at least one display area in the full-size process plant display.

21. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, wherein, the full-size process plant display is locally integrated with the process control network of the process plant.

22. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, further comprises: receiving a selection from the mobile user interface device, the selection corresponding to one of the plurality of process plant entities, and wherein the selection initiates control of the process plant entity within the process plant.

23. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 1, further comprises: automatically detecting, by a display auto-introspection routine executed on the one or more processors, a graphical process control loop display portion shown in the full-size process plant display, wherein the determination of the one or more display areas includes: defining a specific display area as the graphical process control loop display portion; generating, by the area determination application or the mobile display navigation application, an optional display list that represents one or more process plant entities shown within the graphical process control loop display portion; presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the optional display list within a first area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, the graphical process control loop display portion within a second area of the display screen of the mobile user interface device. Wherein, the mobile display navigation application is adapted to adjust a zoom level to focus on the specific process plant entity within the graphical process control loop display portion when receiving a selection corresponding to the specific process plant entity in the one or more process plant entities from the selectable display list.

24. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 23, further comprising: presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, a representation of one or more measurement parameters of the specific process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

25. The graphical user interface-based method according to claim 23, further comprising: presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, a representation of one or more alarm indicators of the specific process plant entity on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

26. A graphical user interface (GUI)-based system configured to regionalize a full-scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device, the graphical user interface-based system comprising: a server including one or more processors, the server communicatively coupled to a process control network of a process plant including a plurality of process plant entities; a region determination application configured to execute on the one or more processors, the region determination application configured to determine one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display, each of the one or more display regions defining a view portion of the full-scale process plant display, and each of the one or more display regions including at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities, wherein the full-scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant; and a mobile display navigation application configured to execute on one or more processors of a mobile user interface device, wherein the mobile user interface device is configured to receive the one or more display regions, wherein the mobile display navigation application is configured to present each of the one or more display regions on the display screen of the mobile user interface device, and wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than a full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen.

27. The graphical user interface-based system according to claim 26, wherein, the one or more processors are configured to send the full-scale process plant display to the mobile user interface device, and wherein the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more display regions on the display screen of the mobile user interface device by defining the view portion of each of the one or more display regions as the full-scale process plant display.

28. The graphical user interface-based system according to claim 26, wherein, The one or more processors are configured to generate one or more new displays based on a determination of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display, each new display corresponding to a view portion of its corresponding display area. Wherein, sending the one or more display areas to the mobile user interface device includes: sending the one or more new displays to the mobile user interface device, and wherein, the mobile display navigation application of the mobile user interface device presents the one or more new displays on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

29. The graphical - user - interface - based system according to claim 26, wherein, The determination of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display includes: the area determination application receives one or more user selections, and the one or more user selections define one or more corresponding positions of the one or more display areas in the full - scale process plant display.

30. The graphical - user - interface - based system according to claim 26, wherein, The determination of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display includes: the area determination application automatically detects the positions of the one or more display areas in the full - scale process plant display.

31. The graphical - user - interface - based system according to claim 30, wherein, Each of the one or more display areas is detected based on the frequency of accessing the view portion of each of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display.

32. The graphical - user - interface - based system according to claim 26, wherein, Each of the one or more display areas is associated with a variable zoom - level value, and the variable zoom - level value corresponds to the level of detail of the view portion of each of the one or more display areas of the full - scale process plant display.

33. The graphical - user - interface - based system according to claim 32, wherein, The one or more display areas include at least a first display area and a second display area, wherein, the mobile user interface device presents the first display area at a first zoom level and presents the second display area at a second zoom level, and the first zoom level is different from the second zoom level.

34. The graphical - user - interface - based system according to claim 26, wherein, The one or more display areas include at least a first display area and a second display area, wherein, the first display area is sorted sequentially relative to the second display area, and the mobile user interface device is adapted to present the first display area before the second display area.

35. The graphical - user - interface - based system according to claim 34, wherein, Each of the one or more display regions is presented by the mobile user interface device using a navigation panel configured to receive a selection to switch the presentation of the first display region and the presentation of the second display region on the display screen of the mobile user interface device.

36. The graphical user interface-based system according to claim 26, wherein the region determiner application is configured to access a predefined GUI profile including GUI settings that define at least one of: the number of one or more display regions, one or more locations in the full-scale process plant where the one or more display regions are to be displayed, or one or more zoom levels of the one or more display regions. wherein the one or more processors are configured to send the GUI settings to the mobile user interface device, and wherein, the mobile user interface device is adapted to configure the one or more display regions based on the GUI settings.

37. The graphical user interface-based system according to claim 36, wherein, the predefined GUI profile is determined based on one or more selections provided by a user.

38. The graphical user interface-based system according to claim 36, wherein, the predefined GUI profile is determined based on the device type of the mobile user interface device.

39. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for regionalizing a full-scale process plant display for presentation on a mobile user interface device, which when executed by one or more processors of a computing device cause the computing device to perform the following operations: receiving, at a region determiner application (app) executing on one or more processors, a full-scale process plant display graphically representing at least a portion of a process plant, the full-scale process plant display including graphical representations of a plurality of process plant entities within the process plant, wherein, the full-scale process plant display is a GUI adapted to be presented on a full-scale display screen of the process plant; determining, by the region determiner application, one or more display regions of the full-scale process plant display, each of the one or more display regions defining a view portion of the full-scale process plant display, and each of the one or more display regions including at least one graphical representation of a process plant entity selected from the plurality of process plant entities; sending, by the one or more processors, the one or more display regions to a mobile user interface device that executes a mobile display navigation application; and presenting, by the mobile display navigation application, each of the one or more display regions on a display screen of the mobile user interface device, wherein the display screen of the mobile user interface device includes a surface area smaller than the full-scale surface area of the full-scale display screen.

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